The Beginning of Forever
by edwardnbella4eva09
Summary: Summary: What if Bella had went back to Phoenix after Edward left her? What if Laurent had found her and Jake and the other wolves weren’t around to protect her? My version of New Moon. Picks up after Edward and the rest of the Cullens leave Forks. R & R!
1. The Depths of Despair

**The Beginning of Forever**

**Chapter 1: The Depths of Despair**

**Disclaimer: I dont own anything Twilight, Stephanie Meyers does. **

The sun. I hated it. How odd that was when only a year ago it was what I loved the most. But that had been before... Now, I avoided it as much as I possibly could, which was terribly difficult in sunny Phoenix, Arizona. Difficult, not impossible. I'm nothing but determined.

When I agreed to come back to Phoenix with my mom, I had had my conditions. I already had more than enough credits at my old high school to graduate early.

Condition 1: I wouldn't have to go back to school. My parents easily agreed to this, since I would still receive a diploma.

My next condition was a little harder to sell them on. I didn't want my mom to have to move back in our house in Phoenix and not be able to travel with Phil again. That was the whole point in my moving to Forks, and just because that had fallen through didn't mean that I was going to give up on that hope for my mom.

I had won out in the end. My mom's want to be with Phil on the road and Charlie's need to get me out of Forks made them accept my condition. And the fact that I "already act like a middle-aged woman" as my mom put it helped my odds.

My third, last and most important condition: no one ever speak to me about the reason as to why I was now back in Phoenix. No one was ever to mention _his _name or any of _their _names ever again. Hell, I couldn't even think of them to myself without having a panic attack. Not that that didn't stop me from falling apart all the time. Which is why I always tried to keep myself busy, keep my mind from being able to wonder. The worst part was at night, when I crawled into bed. Well, technically I guess I should say day. Somewhere along the way of trying to avoid the sun as much as possible, my days and nights had gotten reversed. Which didn't bother me. I loved the darkness.

I knew that I had changed in the year that I had been away, and not all for the good. Most of the changed had happened in the last 4 months. Ever since _they _left me... I was more quiet. I didn't socialize at all. The only people I ever talked to were Charlie and Renee', and on the rare occasion, Phil. Even then I didn't talk too much. It hurt to talk, mostly because then I could hear how different my voice had become. It had a hallow quality to it, empty. Even I noticed there was no emotion in it. It made me shiver to think about it. But that really was the only thing that even semi scared me anymore.

Dark alleys, walking by myself in the middle of the night, shadows, all of the stuff that would have scared my shitless 4 months ago didn't anymore. I just couldn't find any real reason to be scared. I knew what was out there, the real monsters who stalked the night. And to tell the truth, even the thought of them didn't scare me anymore. Part of me was starting to think that I had dreamed up the past year of my life and all of the things that happened. But then all I had to do was look down at the crescent shaped scar on my hand and feel the coldness of it compared to the rest of my skin to know that it had not been a dream.

I didn't have a job. My mom's house was paid off, and Phil's salary was large enough to pay the gas and electric bill and the water bill. I usually slept most of the day, keeping the curtains drawn tight against the windows so that I wouldn't let any of the sun in. By night, I would usually wonder around the city, searching for something but not quite sure what it was.

Okay, that's a lie. I know exactly what I'm looking for every night when I walk the streets of Phoenix. Some sign of _them_. Well, not _them_ exactly, but more like some sign of _their kind._ Something, anything to make me positive that I didn't make up all of the events of the past year. With every passing day it seemed more and more like a dream.

As I left the house, I decided to go the one place that I had been avoiding since I'd been back in Phoenix. Not because I was scared, more or less because I knew it would remind me of _them_, of _him._ But I knew that I couldn't avoid it for long.

As I rounded the corner and the ballet studio came into view, I felt the hole that seemed to be forever gaping open inside of me rip open even more. It looked so creepy, so forlorn against the dark night sky.

It looked completely unstable. The outside walls were blackened and burnt. All of the windows were blown out.

My feet seemed to have a mind of their own. Next thing I knew, I was standing at the studio's door. I knew I shouldn't go in. The thing looked like it could collapse at any given moment. But I did anyway.

The inside looked a million times worse than the outside. It was almost unrecognizable. The fire had totally gutted out the place. There was broken pieces of the mirrors everywhere on the floor. It smelled of burnt wood and gasoline.

As I walked further in, I saw the blood stains that were on the floor. _My blood._ As I looked closer, I saw that some of the mirror shards were covered with blood, too. It all came at once.

Finding out that James had my mother. Ditching Alice and Jasper to go "save her". Coming here, to the studio, to find out it had all been a ruse that James had came up with to lure me to him alone. James throwing me across the room, the sound my leg made as he stepped on it and the bone snapped like a twig, the blinding hot sensation I felt as his venom swept through my veins.... _His _sweet lips as he sucked the venom out of me.

Somewhere during my flashbacks, I had sunk to the floor. I was kneeling with my arms wrapped tightly around my torso, as if I could hold myself together and keep the hole from tearing me right open. I could feel it coming on, the hysteria. I couldn't control it. Whenever I thought about _them_ it was inevitable that the falling apart would happen soon after. I was about two seconds away from being a balling lump on the floor when I heard it. The sound of footsteps.

**So there it is. What do you think? Please review so I know if I should continue or not. This is my first Twilight fanfic btw so be nice :) constructive criticism is welcomed. hit that review button! oh and if you have any ideas as to where I should go after this I would be very open to suggestions. Im thinkin about having Laurent come in and change her but Im not sure yet. Thanks!**


	2. Old Acquaintances

**Chapter 2: Old Acquaintances**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Twilight, SM does :)**

I looked up, surprised. Who else would wondering around a burnt out ballet studio in the middle of the night?

As I stood up and started forward to investigate, he came around the corner. He was the most beautiful thing that I had ever seen.

"Laurent!" I exclaimed hoarsely. I probably hadn't spoken a single word for at least a week.

"Bella? Is that you?" Laurent asked, sounding confused. "It is! What in the world are you doing here?"

"I live here now," I replied. "Well, not _here_ here," I rammbled, gesturing around the studio, "but here in Phoenix." I knew I was babbling, but I couldn't believe that there was actually a vampire standing in front of me. It made me feel so much better knowing that I wasn't crazy after all, that I hadn't made everything up. If Laurent really existed, then that meant that _he_ really was out there...somewhere..

"Oh really?" he asked intrigued. "What about the Cullens. I thought you were something of their...pet."

I retracted slightly. Not just because I heard their name, but because something in my gut told me not to tell Laurent that the...._Cullens_... had left me. That he shouldn't know that I was here, all alone. "Oh, their around," I lied. "They're out on a hunting trip right now. They should be back soon. I just went for a walk, you know to fill time."

"Hm.."he answered, not looking very convinced. I was a horrible liar. "What a coincidence. I happen to be on a hunting trip of my own."

At that moment, I felt a twinge of fear, something that I haven't felt in a very long time. I remembered what Laurent hunted. He wasn't vegetarian like the Cullens were. And at the moment, I was the only appetizing thing around. Oh, this could not end well.

"Uh yeah, that is a coincidence isn't it. Well, I'd better get going. Edward," I forced his name out and it felted like razor blades in my throat. I would pay for that one later..if there was a later. "Edward is waiting for me. And you probably remember that he isn't very patient."

As I took a tentative step back, Laurent took two very big steps toward me. He was only a few feet away from me now. I definitely didn't like the new closeness.

"Why so soon? We have so much catching up to do. And what a perfect place to do it in. The place where your little family killed James. Where you almost died, if I'm not mistaken. Again, I must say, what a coincidence." He smiled an evil smile.

This was all too familiar. It was James all over again. Only this time, I didn't have any hope that I would be saved. The Cullens were somewhere out there, I was sure of that now. But they were out there without a clue as to what was happening to me. Would they care if they knew? Would Alice have seen this coming? No, I was sure that Edward would have made sure she didn't look for my future.

_It will be as if I'd never existed_. That's what he had promised me. How naive it was of me to think that with him gone, the bad vampires would disappear, too.

"Why so quiet, dear Bella?" Laurent asked. I could hear the venom slowly creeping into his voice. He was getting sick of the pleasantries. I looked to his eyes. They were pitch black. He took another step closer. Not good.

He took in a deep breath. "Ah," he sighed, closing his eyes. He was smelling me. "Edward definitely let you go to waste. You smell absolutely delectable." He opened his eyes, and they had gotten even blacker. "You see, Bella, I haven't fed in so long. After I left Denali, I ran into Victoria. And ever since then, I haven't had much time to do much else except for the tracking expedition she sent me out on."

I couldn't help myself. "What tracking expedition?" I was slowly backing away, even though I knew that with his advanced sight, Laurent could see my every move. I was trying to buy more time. Maybe, if I got close enough to the door to get outside, and I was in front of witnesses, it would stop him. I doubted it, but it was worth a shot.

"Yes. You see, after your Edward killed her James, she was not very...._happy _to say the least. So, when I ran into her, and found out that she was tracking you, I made a deal with her; I would help her find you, as long as I got a little.... _taste_ before she finished you off."

I froze. Victoria had been tracking _me_? But why. I wasn't the one who killed James. Edward was. I voiced my question to Laurent. "Ah you see, innocent Bella, Victoria doesn't want to just kill Edward. It would be too easy for him. Instead, she wants him to feel what she has felt over the past several months; the pain of losing your mate. It is not something that our kind takes to very well. And she knows that after he finds you dead, he will come after her. A better fight than if she just went straight for Edward himself."

During this conversation, I had still been moving slowly backwards. I was almost to the door when I tripped over a fallen support beam. This seemed to bring Laurent back to the present, back to the fact that he was thirsty, and I was his next meal.

Laurent walked over to where I was laying and knelt over me. I could tell that this was the end. I did the only thing I could think of to do. I begged.

"Laurent, please...please don't-don't do this I-," he silenced me by putting a cold finger on my lips. I recoiled. Somehow, his skin felt colder than Edward's, and not in a good way.

"Shh, shh Bella. I promise it will be quick. You should be happy that it is me and not Victoria. If you only knew what she wanted to do to you...well let us just say that you would be _very _happy that it was I who found you first."

_Edward_. I could think about him now, right? I didn't have to worry about breaking down later, because there wasn't going to be a later. So I thought about him.

I thought about his eyes, how beautiful they were. Like melted honey. I thought about his voice...._oh his voice._ It was the most amazing sound that I had ever heard in my life. Then there was his smell. That intoxicating smell that I couldn't get enough of no matter how many times I smelled him. And lastly I thought about his lips. How his lips felt pressed up against mine; cold and hard yet warm and soft at the same time.

And for once, I didn't feel the hole in my chest start to burn, the way that it usually did when I thought of Edward. Maybe it was because my body knew that I was about to die. My heart knew that it didn't have many beats left. I was glad, happy even. I wanted my last thoughts to be about him, and I knew that I was about to be in enough pain without adding anything else on top of it.

As Laurent leaned down towards my neck, I closed my eyes. Behind the black of my lids, I could see Edward's face perfectly. _I love you, Edward,_ was my last thought before I felt the sharp, burning pain.

**Another cliff hanger :) So I only got one review, but like 6 story alerts...hmm lol **_**Please please **_**review. They give me reason to write fast. If I more than one on this chapter, I could **_**possibly**_** have the next one up tomorrow. So hit that review button! :)**


	3. AN

**SORRY GUYS THIS IS JUST AN AUTHOR NOTE. DON'T BE MAD AT ME I HATE THEM TOO.**

**JUST WANTED YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT I ****WILL**** BE ADDING A CHAPTER TONIGHT. JUST DIDN'T WANT YOU GUYS TO FREAK OUT LOL SO BE LOOKING FOR THE NEW CHAPTER SOMETIME TONIGHT. I PROMISE IT WILL BE THERE. BE EXPECTING SOME OF THE CULLENS TO POP UP ******** IM NOT SAYING WHO ;) **

**THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS. LOVE YOU ALL!!!**

**LOVE, edwardnbella4eva09**


	4. Unwanted Visions

**Chapter 3: Unwanted Visions**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight (sigh). If I did, I would make sure that **_**my**_** blood smelled better than Bella's :)**

**Sorry it took me a couple days to get this up. Being a Senior is crazy! Thanks for all the reviews. They keep my going!**

**And now on to the good stuff...**

**Alice POV:**

Running. That is what I had been doing for the past five hours. Ever since I had that horrible vision. Even now it was hard for me to not to break down in dry sobs. I was so scared that we weren't going to make it time. But we had to. There was no other choice. We just _had_ to make it.....

Ever since we left Forks, left Bella, things had been horrible. Every one of us had been affected. Even Rosalie.

When we left Bella behind, each of us had left a little piece of ourselves. She was our sister, apart of our family even though we had not known her for that long.

Carlisle and Esme both felt as if they had lost a daughter. It affected Esme especially hard, seeing as she had already lost one child all those years ago. I could see it every time I looked into her eyes. That sadness, that emptiness. It was unbearable.

Jasper and Emmett had lost a sister. Emmett no longer was the joking, fun loving teddy bear that he used to be. If I remember correctly, which I am positive that I do considering my infallible memory, he had not laughed once since we had arrived in Alaska. And Jasper, oh my poor Jasper. Not only did he have to deal with his own feelings of loss and sadness, ( and guilt I might add, since he considered all of this to be completely his fault. Absurd!) ,but he also felt everyone else's. It got so bad at times that he had to leave our home for a period of time.

Even Rosalie was not the spit fire that she once was. It did not affect her in the way that it did the rest of us, but seeing her family so torn up had taken its' toll on her.

And me, not only had I lost my sister, but I had lost my best friend. Yes, I still had Rosalie, but it was not the same. Bella was different. She and I were close on a level that I believe Rosalie is not capable of with no one other than Emmett.

Then there was Edward. He was, of course, the worse out of all of us. He sat in his room for weeks at a time without even coming out to hunt. The only time that he ever did hunt was when we would physically drag him out the forest. He wouldn't even attack his prey, we had to do that part for him. Then, it would be back to his room where he would listen to his endless music collection. But never any song with words, I came to realize. He only ever listened to his musical compositions. Besides that, we never heard a sound come from his room, except the occasional dry sob. It was the most heart-wrenching thing to watch. He was literally wasting away before our eyes.

I knew I had to do something, but I was not sure what. Against Edward's commands, I continued to watch Bella's future. I saw her as she spent the first month in a sort of zombie like state. I saw as her mother came to Forks to take her back to Phoenix. I saw her shutting herself away from the outside world. Even the sun. I noticed that she would never go out in the sun, would not even allow it to come in through the windows of her mothers house. I watched all of this, and for the first time in my immortal life I had no idea what to do to make things right.

But when I had my next vision, the vision that would in turn have me, Jasper, and Emmett running as fast as we could toward Phoenix, the fear, the absolute devastation I was feeling, was nothing,_nothing_ compared to the past months of suffering.

**(Flashback)**

It had been a normal, Alaskan day. Well, as normal as it could be with the way my family was torn apart right now.

Jasper had just returned from one of his "vacations" as we began to call the extended hunting trips he would take when emotions at home got too hard for him to handle. Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Rosalie, and,( against his will), Edward were out hunting.

Jasper and I were sitting in the living room, discussing, as always, things that we might be able to do to make things better, when it happened.

_I saw Bella as she slowly backed away from Laurent, fear rolling off of her in torrents. I saw as she tripped and fell backwards. I saw as Laurent knelt down next to her, his eyes absolutely black with thirst._

"_Laurent, please...please don't-don't do this I-," Bella stammered her last attempt to save herself._

"_Shh, shh Bella. I promise it will be quick. You should be happy that it is me and not Victoria. If you only knew what she wanted to do to you...well let us just say that you would be very happy that it was I who found you first."_

_As Laurent leaned down towards her throat, Bella closed her eyes with a look of absolute contemptment on her face. And then, he bit her._

"NO!!!!" I screamed as I came out of the vision. Dry sobs were already wracking my body. I could feel the firm grip Jasper had around me, and realized that was the only reason I was not curled up in a ball on the floor.

"Alice. Alice! What is it? What did you see?" Jasper asked, fear and desperation mingling in his words.

"Bella....Bella..." was all I could say.

"Bella what, Alice? Alice, focus. If Bella is in trouble you need to focus so that we can help. What is wrong with Bella?"

The prospect of being able to help was the only thing that made me able to mutter my next sentences.

"She-she went to the ballet studio..the one where we killed James. I don't know how or why, but Laurent was there. And he was....thirsty." I looked up at Jasper as I paused and saw the comprehension dawn across his face. He knew where I was headed with this. "And I saw him...I saw him..._bite_ her." The dry sobs took over again.

Jasper collected himself faster than I was able to.

"Okay, listen to me Alice. When the others get back we are going to wait for Edward to be safely up in his room before we say anything. After we explain you, Emmett, and myself are going to go to Phoenix. The others will stay behind so Edward will not get suspicious. I know that he is too out of it to even concentrate on what we are thinking, but I believe that he will definitely notice if all of us disappear."

"But, why couldn't Edward come?" I asked. During the course of his planning, I had calmed down considerably. I could still feel the absolute fear and worry, but I was able to control myself better now that I knew that we were going to try to help. "This is just the kind of thing that could bring him out of this...depression that he's been in. You know he would want to know if Bella was in danger."

"I know Alice, but you have seen the state that he is in. I think that if we told Edward what is going on, he will absolutely lose it. Yes, he would go to Phoenix, but at what price? He may end up hurting Bella. We cannot risk it."

I knew he was right. The way Edward had been acting, it was as if something inside of him had snapped. We could not risk him hurting Bella or making the situation worse with the absolute rage that he would indefinitely feel if we told him about Laurent.

So we waited. When the others got home and Edward was safely inside his room in his own little world, we told them. Carlisle had agreed with us. He too had seen that change inside of Edward that caused him to believe that he should not know about this. Not yet, and possibly not ever if things turned out...badly.

So after concocting the story that the three of us were out hunting in case Edward asked, (yeah, _likely_, I thought to myself), Jasper, Emmett and I were running as fast as we possible could to try to save the one person who we knew could bring our family back together. Or, if we...did not make it in time, tear us apart.

**(Present)**

Five hours later found us just outside the city limits of Phoenix. I had been constantly checking the future as much as I could, and if I was correct Bella was already at the studio with Laurent, but he had not bitten her yet.

He so was close to doing so, but we were also so close to stopping him.

And with that thought on all of our minds, we pushed to run even harder.

**Oh I know I know, you guys hate me right now. But don't be too mad, because I promise that the next chapter will be up tomorrow. (It's one in the morning right now, by the way. Yes I stayed up this late on a school night just to get this chapter up for you guys. :)**

**Please review so that tomorrow when I am sleep deprived I will have enough strength to put up the next chapter.**

**Oh, and I hope I did good writing in Alice's perspective. Its much harder than Bella's for me. Tell me what you guys think!**

**Love, edwardnbella4eva09**


	5. Decisions

**Chapter 4: Decisions**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, unfortunately. It's all on SM.**

**Hikari-and-Akari ****: To answer your question, yes he did bite her. But at the end of Chapter 3 it's suppose to be just before that happens. Like going back in time a little bit. I'm sorry if it was confusing. But this chapter is going to pick up right where the last Bella POV left off.**

**A/N: This is, hopefully, the last chapter that will be in Alice's POV. I really don't like writing in anyone else's POV except for Bella. I just feel that I know Bella better than the other characters. So bare with me for one more chapter of Alice :) And thanks for the reviews!**

**Alice POV:**

I thought we were going to make it. And then I heard her scream.

Emmett, Jasper and I busted through the ballet studio's door, still running at full speed. When we stopped, the most horrific site met our eyes.

Bella was sprawled out on the floor with the look of absolute terror and agony displayed on her features, her mouth still open in an on-going scream. Laurent, oblivious to the fact that he had visitors, was just beginning to suck the blood from Bella's neck. I was furious.

I ran forward in a blind rage and tore Laurent away from Bella, flinging him across the room in one fluid motion. He got up quickly, surprised, and started to run back towards me as if to attack. His eyes were black with rage, although I would bet my whole collection of vintage Louie Vuitton bags that mine were blacker. I crouched protectively in front of Bella, a low growl beginning to form deep inside my chest, preparing to spring. No one messed with my family. No one.

Just as I was about to leap forward, Bella let out another ear piercing, blood-curdling scream. Emmett and Jasper each ran forward and grabbed Laurent by his arms.

"Go, Alice," Jasper said. "Help Bella. We'll take care of _this_ one." He hissed the last part.

"Well, looks like your about to meet the same fate as your old buddy James. Exact same fate. Huh. That's ironic, ain't it?" Emmett said amused, a small, menacing smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

I turned away and rushed to Bella's side. She was still on the floor, screaming and twitching in agony as the venom slowly made its' way through her veins. I faintly heard the sound of Jasper and Emmett ripping Laurent apart, but I blocked it from my mind. I had to focus on Bella now.

I looked at the bite on her neck. Could I do it? Could I suck the venom out, without killing her?

I leaned closer to get a better look at the bite. That was when I smelled her blood. No, I couldn't. I was barely restraining myself now. I knew that if I tried I would end up killing her. There was no way Jasper could do it. He would kill her in an instant. And Emmett, he was just like me. He could restrain himself, but not if he actually_ tasted _the blood.

The only people who could possibly suck the venom out of Bella and not risk her life at the same time were Edward and Carlisle; and both of them were currently thousands of miles away in Alaska. The venom would be too far into her system to do anything about it before they could get to us.

But what was I suppose to do? Just let the venom take it's course? Then she would be like...like...like _one of us._

The realization hit me with a sudden force. But this was a good thing, right? I had seen it in her future before I had even met her. But I thought with Edward making us leave her behind, Bella would no longer have the same future as the one I saw. I had been wrong. What was my other choice, kill her? Yeah, I think not. I had made my decision, but I decided to call Carlisle just to make sure he backed me up. I knew I was going to need all the support I could get when Edward found out about this. He was _not_ going to be a happy vampire.

I looked over to where Emmett and Jasper were already burning a torn apart Laurent in a make shift fire they had created.

"Jasper!" I cried over the roar of the flames and the occasional loud whimper that issued from Bella. He was at my side in an instant. "I need you to look after Bella for a moment. The venom is spreading, and the only way we can save her is to suck the venom out, which no one here is able to do without killing her. I am going to step outside to call Carlisle. We need to bring her home with us."

Jasper stared at me with a bewildered look in his eyes. I knew what he was thinking. He was afraid of reoccurring the events that took place at Bella's birthday party. The events that led us here in the first place. Before I could say that he had nothing to worry about, that he was strong enough to do this, his expression changed and he spoke.

"Go. I'll take care of her. _No one_ is going to hurt her again." His voice was tense and determined. I knew by no one, he meant himself. I nodded my head, and ran outside where it would be quiet enough to call Carlisle.

"Alice?" came Carlisle's tense voice. I knew he had been expecting my call.

"We didn't make it in time. He bit her. But we got him off of her before he could kill her. But his venom, Carlisle, his venom is working its' way through her system. There's nothing we can do. None of us are strong enough to suck it out of her. I think we need to bring her home."

There was a moment of silence on the other end as he took in what I had just said. When he spoke again his voice was strong, determined, all of its' previous tension gone.

"Yes. That is what you are going to have to do. I see that there is no other way."

Something occurred to me. "How is Edward?" I asked. I had a feeling that he knew something was not right.

There was another moment of silence. "He is beginning to grow suspicious." The tension was back in his voice. "We are all trying to not think about it, but I think some of our thoughts are starting to leaking through. When you called I quickly ran out to the forest, far enough to where I knew that he would not be able to hear me. But I am afraid that, now that you are bringing Bella back here, we must tell him. I do not believe that if we wait for him to find out when you show up here with her the outcome will not be desirable one."

I did a quick check into the future to see what Edward's reaction would be if we waited. I winced at what I saw. It was not good.

"You're right. If we wait to tell him when we show up with Bella, he will snap all the way. I see him completely turning into his instincts and there are fatal consequences."

"Just as I thought," Carlisle murmured. He knew what I meant by fatal. Someone would end up dead. "Hurry back, Alice. I need you to get her here as soon as possible so that I can administer a few more bites to her. It will make the process go by quicker."

"Okay. We'll see you in a few hours." And with that I hung up.

I went back inside to find a shocking site. Jasper was holding Bella in his arms, trying to stop her from hurting herself because of all the flailing she was doing. I felt my cold, dead heart contract. He was really trying. He loved Bella as a sister, we all knew that. But seeing him put himself in pain in order to try to comfort Bella was an amazing site.

And he said he had no self control, I thought to myself.

"Let's go," I called out. Jasper handed Bella over to Emmett. He might have control of him self now, but I knew he did not want to risk a 5 hour trip with her blood so tantalizingly close to him.

We ran from the once again burning ballet studio towards home.

*******************************************************************************************************************

We arrived sooner than expected. It had only taken us a little over 4 hours to get back home. The whole way Bella's cries got louder and more intense. I wish I could do something to help her, to ease the pain, but I knew there was nothing that I could do.

As soon as we entered the door, Edward was there. And for the first time since we had left Forks, his face was not the same emotionless mask. Instead there was worry, anger, fear, and panic. But behind it all I could see something that I thought I would never see again in my brothers' eyes; hope. No matter the circumstances, he had Bella back, and I knew that in the end that would overshadow any of the negative emotions.

Edward quickly took Bella from Emmett's arms. He cradled her close to his chest. When he did this, Bella's screams quieted down. Maybe that was the key to helping her through this; having Edward by her side.

But my theory was proved wrong when Bella let out the worse scream yet.

"Carlisle!" Edward yelled. I took a sharp inhale of unneeded air. That was the first time that he had spoken in months. Well, maybe _something_ good would come out of this. Maybe I could get my brother back.

Carlisle was at his side instantly. "Put her up in your room Edward. I will administer the other bites there."

We all ran up to Edward's room. It was strange. Since we moved to our home in Alaska, none of us had been in his room, not once. As we stepped inside, I looked around. It was much like his room in Forks; his wall of cd's and his leather couch. But instead of the gold carpet and curtains that occupied his old room, this one had gray. It was quite...depressing.

There was, surprisingly, a bed. As Edward laid Bella down on it, he spoke. "I went out and got this bed for her. I figured she would need something to...to.." he trailed off as Bella whimpered. He had probably only mentioned it because he heard the questions that were in our minds.

Carlisle quickly gave Bella four additional bites; one on each of her wrists and one on each of her ankles.

"This should speed up the process by at least a day. But it will most likely increase her pain." He looked to Edward, who was now laying in the bed beside Bella, his arms wrapped around her as she screamed and twitched. "Be strong for her Edward. She needs you now more than ever. That will be especially true when her transformation is complete." The only answer Edward gave him was a curt nod as he continued to stare down at Bella.

There was nothing left to do. We would just have to wait for the venom to take its' course. And so, we waited.

**Ah! Longest chapter yet. You like? This will be the last chapter in Alice's POV. The next one will pick up in Bella's. And guess what....ExB scenes are coming! yay! lol**

_**PLEASE, PLEASE review!!!**_** I need to know what you guys think!**

**If I get some reviews, another chapter will be up tomorrow. If not, well it could be a few days if I'm not motivated.**

**So hit that cute little review button and motivate me ppls!**

**Love, edwardnbella4eva09**


	6. Try and Catch Me Now

**Chapter 5: Try and Catch Me Now**

**Disclaimer: Have you figured out that I don't own Twilight? No? Okay then. I don't own Twilight, Stephanie Meyer does.(sigh)**

**A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to update. (Has it really been a week?!?!) Busy, busy, busy! But to make up for it, here are some ExB scenes! yay!**

**Oh, and fyi, I got this chapter title from Taylor Swift's White Horse. It really helped me get through this chapter. Look it up, it's a great song!**

**Thanks for all the reviews!**

**Oh, and btw, I NEED A BETA! If anyone is interested, let me know!:)**

**Bella POV:**

Burning. That's all that I had been able to feel for as long as I can remember. It was like there had never been anything else except for the fire that was now racing through my veins. I could feel every single nerve ending as it burst, every new wave of pain as it soared through my body, every second that ticked by as I felt my organs begin to shut down.

I knew what this meant. It had been described to me once. But it could not possibly be true. There was no way. But there was no escaping the truth as I felt the fiery venom course through my body. It seemed to get into every single crevice. It didn't leave one spot untouched from it's fiery path. I was becoming a vampire.

Why hadn't Laurent finished me off? What could have possibly stopped him from sucking me dry? I faintly remembered the sound of a high, beautiful, wind chime voice of an angel. But it was angry. That's not right. Angels shouldn't be angry....

But I couldn't think about anything else anymore as a fresh new wave of pain swept through me. I couldn't even feel my arms, my legs, or any other part of my body. All I could feel was the fire.

I screamed. Screamed for someone to make it stop. To just kill me and get it over with. I didn't want to be a vampire. Not without the Cullens, not without Edward. An eternity without them was not one that I wanted. At least when I was human I had me dying of old age, or some kind of clumsy accident knowing me, to look forward to. But now that I was because of what I was becoming, I had an eternity stretched out before me; one that was no longer appealing because it would be one of emptiness, loneliness.

That was when I heard my heart. It was slow, not the pace that a normal human heart should be. I could feel as the fire started to slowly leave my veins, and I started to be able to feel my individual body parts again. It was then that I noticed that there was a pair of strong, cold, hard arms wrapped around me. But I didn't have anymore time to think of this, because at that moment, I knew where all the fire had been traveling to. My heart.

It was the worse pain yet. It felt like someone had plunged their hand straight into my chest, grabbed my heart, and was squeezing it with all their might. Once again for the millionth time, I begged to die. I didn't want this, not anymore. I just wanted to pain to stop. _Please, please make it stop_ I silently begged.

Then, all at once, it did. It stopped. Along with my heart. I knew that it was over now, that the transformation was complete. I was a vampire. It was then that I heard the voices. It took me a minute to recognize what they were saying, but a split second after that I realized that I _knew_ the voices. It couldn't be...

"Edward, calm down. She _is_ awake," Alice was saying.

"Then why isn't she moving?" was his reply. I could hear the anxiety, the frustration in his voice. The sound of it made my no longer beating heart constrict. Whether if it was with happiness or despair, I couldn't quite tell.

"She's listening to us. She's afraid and confused. Give her a minute to take everything in." I recognized Jasper's voice. Of course he would know what I was feeling better then I did.

And so they were silent. I slowly and carefully opened my eyes. I was staring up at a bleak, gray ceiling. I could see every detail, every speck of paint chip. I cautiously turned my head to the side. That's when I saw them.

Alice and Jasper were the closest. They were sitting at the edge of the bed, Alice sitting on Jasper's lap. A small smile played on Alice's lips. Her expression told me that, per usual, she was ready to jump out of her own skin with excitement. Excitement over what, I had no idea. She looked beautiful as ever. Even more so now that I could really appreciate her beauty with my new enhanced sight. I looked past her.

Carlisle and Esme were standing behind Alice, a cautious, yet utterly happy look on their face. Beside them stood Rosalie and Emmett. Rosalie looked indifferent as she always did around me, and Emmett wore the common goofy grin that was usually plastered on his face.

As I looked at them, I felt a twang of longing. I had missed them so much. I had no idea what had happened with Laurent, or how I had ended up suddenly back with them, but I was happy that they were surronding me. Even though I knew deep down that they didn't really want me, I couldn't hold in the happiness I felt as I looked at them.

I was about to ask them what had happened, why I was here with them,(wherever _here_ was, I had no idea), when I saw him. He was standing farther back than the rest of them, tucked away in the corner of the room. That's why my eyes had not found him first. He was here. Edward, _my_ Edward. I was suddenly filled with absolute joy. I thought that I was going to burst because of it. Until I looked into his eyes.

I remembered the last time I had seen those eyes. It was in the forest, where he had left me. They had held the same guarded look that they had in them now. All of the joy was gone, and was suddenly replaced with fear, hurt, and, surprisingly, rage. My body reacted before I could even think about what I was doing. I leapt up from the bed, surprised in spite of myself at how quick and graceful the movement was, and slunk into a crouch in the opposite corner of the room. The atmosphere in the room immediatly changed.

Jasper mimicked my stance, shoving Alice behind him in the same instant. Emmett and Rosalie too sunk into a low crouch. Alice and Esme hung back, and they all had the same confused look in their deep golden eyes. Edward had not moved from his position in the corner. Carlisle was the only one to move toward me, slowly but surely, and he spoke as he approached.

"Bella, I know that you are confused, but you also know that we will not hurt you. We are here to help you." His voice was low and cautioned, as if he were afraid I would pounce on him if he made a wrong move. But it wasn't Carlisle that I was focused on. I looked past him, to Edward.

His eyes had turned from guarded to hurt. But I couldn't find it in me to feel bad for the hurt, or to wonder why it was there. All I could feel was absolute rage. This was the man who left me, left me all alone in the woods. I was broken and ripped apart, but he had not cared. He probably never really did. If it wasn't for him, I would never have been like _this,_ like _him_. And I didn't want to be a vampire, not anymore. I had once upon a time, when I knew, or thought I knew, that Edward loved me and wanted me. That all of the Cullens did.

But now, I had nothing. I was alone. Sure, they would probably let me stay with them for a while to help me adjust to this new life that had been thrust upon me. But eventually, I would have to leave them. It would hurt more if I waited, if I let myself be around them again. If I left now, it would hurt less. I wouldn't have to see them reject me, not again. _A clean break_. Funny how those words kept popping up in my life.

I was just about to jump from the balcony window, when he spoke.

"Bella..."Edward began. I could hear hurt, passion, and even longing in his voice, but I wasn't going to let him trick me, turn me into a fool. Not again. Not this time. This time, _I_ was going to be the one to leave.

"Don't." I growled as I slowly straightened up from my crouch. Everyone else did the same, relaxing a little bit, but still staying cautious.

I was glad that my voice was strong and didn't relay any of the feelings that were churning inside of me. Not that it mattered much, considering Jasper could tell everything I was feeling. And he was no doubt speaking those emotions in his mind, which meant that Edward would know, too. Oh well. "Thank you guys for bringing me here for the transformation," I began, now looking at everyone else in the room besides Edward. It was a lot easier. "I really appriciate it. But now that it's over, I'm going to go ahead and go. I don't want to push myself on you more than I already have." My voice had stayed steady during my little speech. It sounded quite cordial, actually. I was pretty proud of myself for keeping my feelings inside. Usually I was an open book, but apparently, not anymore.

As I turned to leave, he spoke again. I could feel the anger beginning to build its' self up once more. I turned to face him.

"No, Bella, you have it all wrong.." Edward started to walk towards me. All I could feel in that moment was how much I wanted, no _needed_ him to be away from me, far away. And then all of the sudden, he flew back away from me and landed with a loud _slam_! against the opposite wall and slid down to the floor. Everyone froze, looking at me with shock.

"Well, I guess we know what her power is," Rosalie murmmered.

My power was that I could push people away from me that I didn't want near me? Good. I had a feeling that was about to come in handy.

With one last glare directed at Edward, who was still laying on the floor looking at me with confused and hurt eyes, I jumped from the balcony and landed lightly on the balls of my feet. I looked back up and saw that the Cullens, everyone but Edward, were standing there looking at me with confusion.

"Bye," was the last thing I whispered before I took off into the dark forest. I didn't look back.

**Okay so don't hate me I know that it's not what you all expected. But I'm kind of sick of seeing Bella take Edward back so easily after all the pain that he caused her. And plus with being a newborn, she's really not herself. I just think that Edward should have to really fight to earn her back. Which trust me, he will ;).**

**So REVIEW REVIEW! Sorry it took me so long to get this up. I was kinda having writers block. Hence, the reason why I need a beta! :)**

**Again, review plz!**

**Love you all,**

**edwardnbella4eva09**


	7. Homecoming

**Chapter 6: Homecoming**

**Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own Twilight. SM does. I just own this idea.**

**A/N: Sorry that this once again took me so long to get up. I've been so busy with college apps and homework. Ugh its crazy. Don't abandon me because of my scarce updates. I promise they will be more frequent, because the story is about to get very interesting!**

**Hope you enjoy. Please review!**

I was running. Running as fast and as hard as I could. I had been for hours. It was actually quite exhilarating. To feel the wind rushing through my hair, the feeling of absolute freedom that it brought to me. Peace. It was something that I hadn't felt in a very long time.

I didn't know if they were still following me. Personally, I didn't really care. Why they would want me to stay with them, I didn't know. They had made it quite clear that they didn't want me around when I was human. Why should it be any different now?

I still could not believe it; I, Isabella Swan, was a vampire. I had wanted this, ever since I knew what Edward and the rest of the Cullens were. I wanted to be immortal, to be strong and be able to protect myself. To be their equals. But that had all changed when they left. I had looked forward to death after that. Not in the psychotic I have a death wish kind of way, but as a release of the hell that my life had become after their abrupt and painful departure. And now, I would never have that release. Well, not easily, anyway. The pain was still as raw and excruciating as it had been when I was human. I didn't understand.

Hadn't they said that after their transformations, they had forgotten nearly all of their human memories right away? Why was I still remembering everything. And I was. I still remembered my childhood, Renee', Charlie, everything. Every single day of my human life was still as clear in my mind as it had been before. What was wrong with me? It was probably that glitch that I had in my brain, the same one that caused Edward not to be able to hear my thought. So, I guess that, even after becoming a vampire, I'm still a freak. Figures.

I passed a sign that told me I was now entering Vancouver. Wow. I had ran from Denali, Alaska to Vancouver, Canada in a matter of hours. This still seemed strange to me. And I never tripped, not even almost tripped, once. Even more strange.

I ran even faster, not really even conscious of where I was heading. A few hours later, I only realized where my mind and feet were subconsciously taking me when I started to recognize my surroundings. Even though I was traveling at a speed so fast everything should have been a blur, I could make out every tree, every leaf of the damp, green forest.

I was in Forks. I stopped dead in my tracks. I looked around at the familiar wet, dense forest. Why was I here? This place held nothing for me now. I couldn't go back to Charlie. Knowing the Cullens and their perfected ability to cover things of the supernatural up, I was probably dead to my father. My mother. Everyone. But I still could not stop my feet from leading me to the familiar woods that skirted Charlie's house.

Everything looked normal. My truck sat parked in the same place on the side of the street that I had left it in when I left for Phoenix. Charlie's cruiser was parked in his spot in the driveway. There was a light on in the kitchen. I felt a surge of hope spring up inside of me. Maybe they didn't think I was dead. It was not like it was unusual for me to ignore calls when I didn't feel like speaking to anyone. It had only been 3 days. I had gone longer than that before. Maybe...

I only hesitated a fraction of a second before I quickly jumped into the tree outside my bedroom window. Luckily, the window was still cracked open. I remembered why it was. Even after giving up hope, even though I was moving back to Phoenix, I hadn't been able to bring myself to close it completely. There still had been some part inside of me that thought Edward might have came back to me someday. So, I left the window open.

Stupid girl, I thought to myself. He never would have came back. The look that he had in his eyes when I first looked at him back in Denali was still fresh in my mind. His feelings had not changed, that I was sure of.

I mentally shook myself. I needed to stop thinking about him. No matter how much I wanted to, I could not change things between me and Edward. I had to stop dwelling on the past.

In one graceful, fluid movement I swiftly shoved the window open the rest of the way and swung myself into my room.

Everything looked exactly the way it did when I left. My bed was still made up with the one pillow and blanket that I did not bring to Phoenix with me. My walls were still covered with the same posters that I had not bothered to take down and pack. On the desk, my old run-down computer still sat. One quick glance in the closet told me that the radio that I had pried out of my truck was still sitting there in a black garbage bag, the wires that I had ripped apart visible sticking ever which way. My rocking chair from when I was a baby still sat in the corner, unmoved.

I felt that hope again, that maybe I could just stay here again and forget about everything else. That's when I heard her voice.

"Look Charlie, I know that you don't want any of her things moved around, but I think I deserve to have a piece of my daughter. Everything that she brought back to Phoenix with her was just the basics. Nothing says 'Bella'. I _need_ to have something of her's. It's the only thing left I'll have.." my mother's voice trailed off. She couldn't talk anymore; she had broken down into sobs.

I heard Charlie move toward her. "Okay Renee', I'm sorry. I just wasn't thinking straight. It's been a little hard to every since...the fire." My dad's voice was gruff and full of emotion. This meant two things.

First off, they thought I was dead. There was no question about it. The Cullens had successfully covered up my "disappearance". Fantastic.

Of course, I thought to myself. They ruined my human life, they had to make sure that they thoroughly ruined my vampire one, too. Why leave any part of me unscathed.

Secondly, in result of my "death", this also meant that I was completely and totally...alone. Forever. Eternity. I felt the hole that I had become so accustom to feeling over the past months once again rip open and try to tear me into to two once more. Great. You'd think that I could have at least left this in my human life.

I was so absorbed in my own thoughts that I didn't hear the footsteps coming up the stairs until it was almost too late. I quickly and silently ran to my closet and shut myself inside. I could see from the downward slanting slits in the door who is was. My mom walked in.

She looked horrible. Her short hair was sticking up in every direction. Her face was red and blotchy, gaunt and emotionless. All of the emotions were in her eyes.

They were bloodshot. Heavy bags were underneath them. I could see every ounce of despair, sadness, of absolute devastation that was in her eyes. I almost had to look away.

But I didn't. I took in everything, memorizing. For all I knew, this would probably be the last time I ever got to see my mother. That thought made the hole in my chest flare up. I almost let out a cry. Almost.

I watched as my mom walked around my room, taking everything in. She walked over to my desk and ran her hand across the computer keys. She walked to my window and gently brushed the yellow lace curtains that she herself had hung there when I was born. She then went to my bed, where she ran her hand over the old quilt that lay there before her hand went to my pillow and picked it up. I knew where she would go next.

My mom slowly sank down into the rocking chair, putting my pillow to her face and closing her eyes, took a deep breath before placing it behind her head. I could see her face perfectly now, the chair was right across from the closet. I looked at her face, memorizing every single detail, as she spoke.

"Oh, Bella," she whispered. Her voice sounded so broken. I wanted to reach out and comfort her, but I knew I couldn't. "I miss you so much. I don't know what to do with out you. You're my life, my baby girl. God, I wish I could have been there for you. Maybe I could have done something. Maybe if I had stayed in Phoenix with you, you wouldn't have been out so late. Then you wouldn't have ended up at the ballet studio when the faulty electricity caused it to catch fire again."

So that's how I "died". A fire. Hm. Convenient. I couldn't dwell on that for long, because my mom spoke again.

"Of course, with your luck and clumsiness, the fire started while you were there." A small smile played on her lips. "You'll never get to meet your little brother or sister," she said quietly as she gently rubbed her stomach. Mom was pregnant? And I wasn't going to be there to see him or her, be the big sister that I've always wanted to be. I felt the hole rip even further.

She had a thoughtful expression on her face now, peaceful almost. "I love you with all my heart, Bells. And I'll make sure that your little brother or sister knows what a great, loving, caring and beautiful person their big sister was. You will never be out of my thoughts, my heart. I just hope that where ever you are that you are happy. I love you, baby. I always will." Her voice had grown slowly more quiet as she spoke.

"I love you too, mommy," I whispered, way too low for her human ears to hear it. I could plainly hear the raw emotion in my own voice.

Renee' slowly stood up, still clutching to my pillow. She started out the door, but with a second thought turned around and took the quilt off of my bed, too. I was glad. I wanted her to have them. They would do me no good now.

As soon as the door shut with a click, I was running. I ran quickly into the forest. I needed to get somewhere safe before the pain overcame me. Without giving a second thought, my feet started to carry me to my destination.

I didn't hesitate when I busted through the big, white mansions doors. I didn't even stop to look around. I ran straight up the stairs, to the top floor.

Edward's room looked exactly the same as it had months before. The cd's, the black sofa, the expensive stereo system. But I didn't have time to think of any of this. I headed straight for the couch.

I had barely sunk into it before the waves of pain began to crash over me.

**So, what do you think? Once again, I'm so sorry that it took me so long to update. But if I get at least 7 reviews, I promise to have another chapter up by tomorrow. If not, then expect one sometime this week.**

**So, if you want another chapter ASAP hit that review button!!!**

**Love, edwardnbella4eva09**


	8. Reunions

**Chapter 7: Reunions**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Twilight, unfortunately. Stephanie Meyer does :(**

I don't know how long I laid there. It could have been minutes, hours, days, weeks. I didn't exactly bother to keep track of the time.

I was so filled with the pain of everything; of seeing my mother for the last time, finding out that she was pregnant and there was going to be a little brother or sister out there that I would never going to be able to see; the fact that I was dead to the world. Well, the human world at least. I didn't exist anymore. I had no one, nothing. But that pain I could handle. The other pain I couldn't.

The pain of seeing the Cullens again, of seeing Edward, was what hurt the most. They had been right there in front of me, and I had ran. Over the past months, I had dreamed of seeing their faces again. I had dreamed of seeing Edward again. Of him coming back to me and telling me that he loved me, that he didn't mean a word that he had said to me in the forest. And yet when I saw them, I ran. It just wasn't something that I could control. My instincts kicked in and told me to run, so that I wouldn't get hurt anymore. And I did.

I had no idea what I was going to do now. I didn't have anyone left. All the important people in my life either thought I was dead, or didn't want me around them. I was at an utter loss of what do to next.

That was when I heard it.

The sound of someone breathing. Someone close. I kept my eyes closed, and listened for the sound of a heartbeat. There was none. So that could only mean one thing; I wasn't as alone as I thought I was and whoever was here now wasn't human. I sat up.

Alice was sitting on the floor across the room from me, her back resting against the door. For once, she didn't look like her usual hyper, pixy self. She looked...sad. I couldn't comprehend why. I didn't even know how I didn't realize she was here. I must have been to absorbed in my pain.

We continued to look at each other in silence. I was just about to ask her what she was doing here when she spoke.

"Bella, what are you doing?" she asked me. There was a definite note of sadness in her voice.

She sounded almost as broken as my mother had when she was saying goodbye to me. As I thought of my mother, the hole in my chest flared to life. I instinctively clutched my sides, trying to hold myself together, wincing because of the pain. Alice was at my side in a flash.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Alice asked, her voice frantic. And then we weren't alone anymore. Before I knew it Jasper and Emmett were there, pulling Alice behind them. It was the same thing they had done back in Denali. I suddenly realized that they were trying to protect her from..._me_.

Duh, I thought to myself, you're a newborn, Bella. Of course they're going to be extra careful around you. I spoke for the first time.

"I could never hurt Alice," I whispered. I was once again surprised by the sound of my voice. It sounded so soft, so musical. So...foreign.

"Of course you couldn't," Alice answered. She stepped around the boys, giving them glare as she did. When she sat down next to me this time she put her arm around my shoulder. Her skin was surprisingly warm. Not the ice coldness that I had grown accustom to. Well, considering that my skin was now as cold as hers, it made since.

"Alice," I began. "What happened? Why am I like..._this_," I asked, motioning toward my hard, pale, cold skin.

"Well, what was the last thing that you remember?" she asked me carefully.

"I was...at the ballet studio. Laurent was there. He was thirsty. I remember tripping over something...and he bit me. But, I just don't understand. Why didn't he finish me off? And how did you guys get involved, how did I end up in Denali with you? I'm just so confused.." I trailed off, a hint of frustration in my voice.

"Well, I had a vision of you. I have been checking up on you these past months. Please don't be mad at me, Bella. I love you and I just wanted to make sure you were...safe."

I realized that she was about to say 'I just wanted to make sure that you were okay', but she knew that I had not been okay. She had seen everything; the first couple weeks when I wouldn't even get out of bed to eat; when I moved to Phoenix and started becoming all anti-sun. She knew everything, all the pain I had felt. I felt bad. I didn't want her to feel the things that I had felt. She didn't deserve to. Her _brother_, on the other hand...

"It's okay," I began, "I underst-" I stopped short, remembering what else she said. She said that she..._loved_ me. But that couldn't be true. She had left me, they all had.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Alice asked. Her eyes were filled with concern and so much..love. I knew that she wasn't lying.

Emmett and Jasper had tensed up behind Alice. I rolled my eyes at them. Jeez, give me a little credit, I thought to myself.

"I....love you, too, Alice." She beamed at me. "Okay so anyway, you had a vision..."

"Oh right. I had a vision of Laurent attacking you. Killing you. So me, Emmett and Jazz got to Phoenix as fast as we could. But we were too late. I'm sorry, Bella. None of us could suck the venom out because we were all to afraid that we were going to kill you in the process. The only thing we could do was take you back home with us and help you with the transformation."

"It's okay, Alice," I said, my voice full of gratitude. "If you hadn't come I wouldn't be here at all. I owe you one."

"How about instead of me owing you one, you make a deal with me." Her voice had that sad quality to it again. I agreed without thinking.

"Anything." "Don't run from me ever again. Please, Bella. Your my best friend, my sister and I love you. I don't want to see you leave again. I'm so sorry about the past five months, but Bella it wasn't our decision. The last thing that I wanted to do was leave you. Every single day that we were gone I missed you. Our family..well it wasn't much of a family anymore. Even Rosalie missed you, in her own way."

"I did not!" I heard Rosalie yell from somewhere in the house. I did something that I hadn't done in, well, a very long time. I laughed.

"I promise," I said to Alice. "What king of best friend/sister would I be if I did that?" Alice's face lit up and she was once again the perky little pixy that I knew and loved. She hugged me.

"And you two," I said as I stood up and approached Emmett and Jasper. "Thank you guys. I really appreciate you helping Alice save me."

Emmett swept me into one of his bear hugs. "No prob, little sis. We love you, too, ya know."

"I know," I smiled as I stepped back. I looked over at Jasper who still had not said anything to me. I knew why. He still felt bad about my birthday party, but it wasn't his fault.

"Bella, I'm-" Jasper began, but I cut him off.

"Jasper Hale, if you're about to say that you're sorry, I will use all of my newborn strength to rip you to shreds." He smiled.

"Thanks, Bella." Then he did something that he had never been able to do when I was human in fear that he would kill me. He hugged me.

I stepped back and looked at my three smiling siblings. And I felt almost completely whole again. I wasn't going to be alone like I thought I was. I would always have Alice, I knew that she wouldn't leave me again. That thought made me smile.

Then I heard his voice. I knew my happiness couldn't last for long.

"Hey guys, is she-" Edward stopped short when he walked into the room and saw me standing there.

"Here we go again," I heard Alice whisper under her voice.

**Cliffy!!! :) So, so far today I've only gotten 5 reviews, but I just couldn't help myself I had to get this chapter out. That's why it's kind of short.**

**But I promise that if I get FIVE MORE reviews today I will have the next chapter out TONIGHT. Come on guys I know you can do it!!! I got more story alerts and author alerts than I got reviews. Trust me I really appreciate the alerts, but I need to know how you guys are feeling about the story. Just hit that button ppl! :)**

**I'm very surprised that no one had noticed that Bella hasn't had the urge to drink blood....hmm I must say I'm disappointed. But trust me, there is a reason behind this. **

**Thank you to those who reviewed. Review again! :)**

**Love, edwardnbella4eva09**


	9. Confessions

**Chapter 8: Confessions**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. SM does.**

**A/N: So, so, so, so sorry that it's taken me this long to update. I've been really sick this past week. Please forgive me! :( Thank you for all your wonderful reviews. I really appreciate it. And thank you to my two beta's, Kate Mac and ****IwinUlose-Izzy, for your support and encouragement about my ideas.**

**Anyway, enough talking, on with the chapter! :)**

I froze. His voice. It was what I had wanted to hear the most in the past five months. I had missed it so much. My no longer beating heart restricted, and I would bet anything that if I were still human it would be running a hundred times a minute.

As I looked at Edward, I realized just how much I had _missed_ him. I didn't feel the rage that I had felt the last time I laid my eyes on his perfect face. But what I did feel was worse. I felt all of the agony that I had felt since he had left, only it had seemed to double. To look at him and know that he did not love me or want me, it hurt more than all of the pain that I had been in the past months put together. Almost more than the burning fire of my transformation. To look at him and remember all of the love and need that I had for him, that I still had for him, was painful, unbearable.

While I was feeling all of this pain, I was staring at Edward's face. It took me a moment to realize what the expression that he now wore was. It was a mixture of so many things; pain, guilt, joy, and something else that I couldn't quite put my finger on. I spoke before I realized what I was saying.

"Guys, can Edward and I have a moment alone?" I asked timidly. It seemed appropriate. I knew Edward, and I knew where the pain and guilt was coming from. He was upset that he hadn't been able to save me. Not that he wanted to save me because he _wanted_ me, but that was the kind of person that he was. He had never wanted to condemn me to this life, to take away everything that I had when I was human. What he didn't realize was that the only thing I had when I was human that I really cared about was him, and he had no problem taking that away from me.

I could feel the rage beginning to surface again. _Calm down, Bella,_ I told myself. _You can't be mad at him for leaving. If he didn't want you anymore, that's not his fault. Stop blaming him._

In truth, I had always figured that Edward would leave me someday. I knew he would tire of me. Who wouldn't? I wasn't anything extraordinary. He could do much better.

"Please?" I asked again after a moment of silence. Jasper looked doubtful, and when I looked at Alice her eyes were blank. Checking the future, probably, to make sure that if they left nothing too bad would happen. She looked at me after a moment.

"Of course," she said. She had this gleam in her eye that made me suspicious about what she had seen. "Let us know when your done." And with that she, Emmett, and Jasper walked from the room, closing the door behind them. Well, Alice more danced than walked from the room. I rolled my eyes. Nothing ever really changes.

I looked to Edward then. Well, _some_ things change.

"So..." I started. But before I could go any further, Edward interrupted me.

"Bella, I am so, so, _so_ sorry. Words cannot even begin to express how awful I feel. I am such a pitiful creature, the worse kind. I am even worse than James, than Laurent. I lied to you. No, I more than lied to you, I deceived you. And now look where you are. The last thing that I wanted to happen to you did. And now, your soul is damned, and it's all my fault. Your life, it's gone. And all because I lied to you. Because I left you. I never should have left, I should have stayed with you. This never would have happened. You never would have been in Phoenix in the first place. I understand if you hate me. I _deserve_ for you to hate me. I-"

"Edward, stop!" I put my hands up, as if to put up a block against his apologies. He fell silent, but was still looking at me in agony.

I had to end this, to make him stop feeling sorry for me. I had to end this guilt that he felt because of me. And I knew that he honestly felt guilty, because I could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice. It had got more pronounced with every word of apology that he spoke. I had to set him free.

"You have to stop blaming yourself, Edward. None of this is your fault. How could it be? You stopped loving me. It wasn't something that you could control. I wouldn't have wanted you to stay just because you felt sorry for me or just to "protect" me. Because that would have made you miserable, and that's the last thing that I want you to be, Edward. I want, no I _need_ you to be happy. As long as your happy, that is the only thing that matters to me, even if it's not me that you're being happy with. Stop feeling guilty. This is _not _your fault."

He stared at me in silence. I felt my heart break a little more. I was proud of myself. I had not let my voice break, not once. Even though all I wanted to do now was curl up in a ball somewhere and die. But I loved Edward with everything I had, and I wasn't about to let him be miserable. I wasn't going to let him see how broken I was because he didn't love me anymore. That would only make my pain worse. Because when it came to Edward, his pain was my pain.

And then he did the one thing I was not expecting him do. He smiled. It was that heart stopping crooked smile that had always sent my heart soaring when I was human. I felt the breath that I didn't need hitch in my throat. He smiled even wider, hearing that. I looked at him in confusion.

Before I could ask, he was standing directly in front of me, with my face in between his hands, his golden eyes burning into my red ones. He spoke with urgency, but at the same time there was joy, absolute joy, in his voice, too.

"You still honestly think that I do not love you, Isabella? I mean, I know that I am a good liar, but for you to still believe me after all of this time? You have still yet to figure it out?" He looked at me expectantly, but I just shook my head. I couldn't trust my voice at the moment, because it was then that I realized what the other emotion I had seen on his face earlier had been that I hadn't been able to figure out; it was love. Completely and totally 100% love. I held my breath, trying to hold back the hope that was budding up in me at the same time. It couldn't be...

"Bella," he said with fierceness, determination creeping into his voice, "I lied. I love you with every fiber of my being. When I left, I left my heart, my soul, my everything with you. I was trying to protect you. After Jasper tried to attack you at your birthday party," we both flinched at the memory, "I was positive that you would be better without me and my family. Safer. That is why we left. I lied to you, told you that I didn't love you. I knew that it was the only way that you would ever let me go. But it _was_ a lie. I still cannot understand how you believed me so easily. After all of the countless times that I told you I loved you, told you how much you mean to me and how I would be nothing without you, you still took my lies in without a moment of doubt. Why?" His eyes were troubled.

And I knew in that moment that Edward had never stopped loving me. I knew that he was telling me the truth now, just like I had been able to tell that Alice still loved me. I wasn't sure how exactly I knew it, but I was positive with every fiber of my being that it was true. I had known it all along, really. Deep inside.

I took a deep, unneeded breath before answering him.

"It never made since, you loving me. I was just a fragile, venerable little human. Like I said before, I wasn't anything extraordinary. There was always that little doubt in the back of my mind that you would eventually tire of me and leave. I know that you're telling the truth, that you love me, but I still couldn't help that little seed of doubt that was planted in my head. When you told me you didn't want me, it made that seed grow into something that I couldn't control, I couldn't think clearly. But now I do see that you were lying."

I looked into his eyes and saw the joy that was there. But I just couldn't find that joy within me. Yes, I was happy, extremely happy, that I now knew for fact that he loved me, that he always had. But there was still that little part of me that feared he would leave again. I couldn't just forget the past five months. They were too painful to just leave behind, completely forgotten. What was hurting me most now was thinking back at the last memories that I had given my mother and father of me. I was still trying to control the rage that I felt towards Edward for causing those months of anguish for me and those around me. I needed some time. I just hoped that Edward would wait for me.

"But, Edward, I don't know if I can be in a...relationship with you right now. Everything is just so confusing. I need time. Please," my voice was barely audible, but I knew that he could hear me. I decided not to say that I was afraid that he would leave me again. I didn't want to see that flash of hurt that I was positive would cross over his glorious face. "Give me some time."

He was quiet for a moment. When he spoke, I could still hear the joy in his voice, despite of what I had just asked of him. "Just answer me one thing, Bella," he whispered.

"Anything," I vowed instantly.

"Do you still love me?"

I answered without hesitation. "Nothing will ever change the way I feel about you, Edward. I do love you, I always have and always will. I just need some time to....readjust." _Or to see if you'll leave me, again _I couldn't help but think.

"Then I will wait for you until the world ends, if that is what it takes, Bella." His eyes were burning with the conviction of his love, and I could tell that he wanted nothing more than to lean in and kiss me. We had slowly inched our faces closer as our words had gotten softer, my face still in-between his hands. Our lips were now only a breath apart. I knew he was waiting for me to decide, to make the first move. Just one, little move...

"Alice," I breathed softly. Edward quickly dropped his hands from my face and turned away, but not before I saw the pain that was on his face.

**Oh I so hope you guys like it! I figured I owed you some ExB fluff since my update had taken so long. Once again, I am so terribly sorry, but I PROMISE that it will NEVER take me this long to update again. **

**Bella's powers will be revealed in the next chapter. So I want, oh lets say, only 5 reviews for my next update to happen. **

**Please review!!!**

**Love, edwardnbella4eva093**


	10. AN2

**Okay, so I have to admit that I am kind of disappointed right now. I've gotten over 20 alerts in the past 3 hours since I've put up my chapter, but only 5 reviews. I know that I said I would update after 5, but since so many people are adding me to their alerts and not reviewing, I'm changing that to 15.**

**So this means that I need 10 more reviews before I put up another chapter. So if you're reading this and you alerted me or my story but didn't review, review! **

**Please don't get me wrong, I absolutely love all of you who have alerted me, but I really need the reviews to know what you guys think.**

**And thank you to those of you who did review. I loved all of them!**

**So come on guys, if you give me 10 reviews I will have the next chapter up tomorrow, right after I run it past my beta (and yes your review does count my goofy beta lol).**

**So review review! **

**Love you all, edwardnbella4eva09**


	11. Discoveries

**Chapter 9: Discoveries**

**Disclaimer: Edward: Say it!**

**Me: I don't want to!**

**Edward: Say it and I'll turn you into a vampire (he dazzles me with his eyes)**

**Me: Okay! I don't own Twilight, Stephanie Meyer does. Now turn me into a vampire Edward!**

**Edward: Okay...haha just kidding.**

**Me: Stupid shiny Volvo owner :(**

**A/N: ha I know that was lame, but I couldn't resist. I also couldn't resist giving you guys this chapter. Thank you for all you is amazing reviews. I absolutely loved them! And I'm sorry that it took me so long to get this up. The fanfiction login was acting up the past couple of days if you didn't notice. But anyway, enough with my a/n.**

**On with the awesomeness....**

Alice instantly bounded herself into the room. Others came in behind her, and I focused on them trying to forget about the look that I had seen on Edward's face before he had turned away.

"Oh, Bella!" someone cried. Before I knew it, someone was hugging me. I looked down and saw that it was Esme. I hugged her back feverously, realizing how much I had really missed her. "It is _so_ good to have you back, dear. We've all missed you terribly."

"I missed you, too, Esme," I whispered back.

Carlisle was next to greet me. He hugged me without hesitation, and I could tell that he, too, was happy that they had me back, even though he didn't say anything. His fierce hug and peck on my forehead was enough.

That left Rosalie, the only one who I had yet to speak to. We looked at each other and she gave me a timid smile.

"It's nice to have you back, Bella," she said so quietly that I was sure if I were still human I wouldn't have been able to hear her.

"Uhm, thanks," I said, astonished.

Everyone was quiet then, gazing at me, and they looked as if they were waiting for me to say something. I looked around the room, trying to find something to say. "So..." I began. What was I supposed to say now? How've you guys been since you left me stranded? Didn't exactly sound like a good conversation starter. "What's everyone been doing for the past five months?"

Instead of answering, everyone was silent. Not only were they silent, but they're were looking at me like I was crazy. Jasper especially. I was just about to ask what was wrong, when he spoke.

"Uhm, not to be rude, Bella, but aren't you...well...thirsty?" Jasper asked timidly.

"Thirsty...?" I trailed off as I suddenly felt the burning in my throat. It was like I had swallowed fire. My hands flew up.

"That's what I thought," Jasper said. _Weird, she should have noticed her thirst when she first woke. Besides that, she ran all the way here from Denali _and_ went to her father's house and didn't feed. Extremely strange._

I heard Jasper say this, but his lips didn't move. I would have thought it was like when I was human and they would talk at vampire speed, but I wasn't human now, I should be able to see his lips move perfectly.

"Jasper, how did you do that?" I asked.

He looked just as confused as I felt. "Do what, Bella?" "Talk without moving your lips. I _heard_ you speak, but your lips didn't move."

"Uh, Bella, I don't know what you're talking about." _What's wrong with her? I hope she's okay. I hope nothing went wrong during her transformation._

"There!" I said. "You did it again."

"What did you "hear" me say, exactly?" His eyes questioned my sanity.

_Oh, poor dear, she looks so confused. I wish there were something I could do to help her. _This time it was Esme that I heard, but once again, her lips didn't move.

"You were talking about how I wasn't thirsty when I first woke up, and how I ran from Denali and went to Charlie's and still didn't feed and how that was weird. And Esme, you were just saying how I look confused and that you wish there was something you could do to help me." As the pain in my throat started to ebb away, I continued to be able to hear what they were saying, and yet their lips _still_ didn't move.

_Oh, I cannot wait to take her shopping. Her clothes are so ratty. I'm so going to get her a whole new wardrobe! _Three guesses who that was.

"Alice, now you're doing it too, and there is no way that I'm going shopping with you. I'd rather go through three days of pain again."

"Uhm, Bella?" Alice said, it came out as a question. "I didn't say that. I was only thinking it."

Everyone in the room stared at me. "And I was only thinking about how it was weird that you weren't thirsty. And Esme, I assume that you were thinking about what Bella said that she heard you say?" Jasper asked. Esme slowly nodded her head.

"What are you guys talking about?" I was more confused than ever.

"Bella, do you "hear" any of us talking right now?" Carlisle asked. His eyes were alight with curiosity. _Bella, if you can hear me, just say yes._

"Yes..." I said quietly.

_No way,_ Edward's voice said. I looked to him and heard him speak again, although his lips didn't move either. _She couldn't possibly be...But I heard what Carlisle was thinking. It's the only way...And why can't I read her mind still? That is as frustrating as ever._

"Calm down, Edward. It's not like you not being able to read my mind is anything out of the ordinary." He mouth gaped open, something very out of the ordinary for a vampire. _So it is true..._

"What's true?" I asked. Everyone seemed to know what was going on, besides me. I was starting to get frustrated.

"Bella, I believe that what is happening is that you are hearing our thoughts," Carlisle said. "It must be your gift. You are a mind reader, like Edward."

"Oh," was all I could think to say. My emotions must have been troubling, because Jasper moved over and placed his hand on my arm to calm me down. All of a sudden, I could _feel_ all of the emotions in the room. I could even pinpoint exactly where each emotion was coming from. There was a worried feeling coming off of everyone, but if I concentrated enough, I could feel other emotions buried underneath.

Excitement was coming off of Alice, no shocker there. Jasper was feeling frustrated about something. I wondered idly what that could be from before focusing on the others. Rosalie was quite bored. Emmett was a barrel of happiness, so typical. Carlisle was filled with curiosity, and Esme was immensely happy. I noticed that she kept sneaking glances at Edward.

And Edward. There was so much love, so much relief radiating off of him that I gasped when I felt it.

He was at my side in a flash. "What is it? What's wrong, Bella?" His voiced was laced with worry, and I could feel it coming off of him in waves.

"I-I don't know," I stammered. What was going on? Hadn't Carlisle just said that my gift was mind reading? I was still trying to wrap my head around that one. I had always wished that I could read Edward's mind ever since he left me. And now, apparently, I could.

But what was going on with me with these emotions that I now felt coursing through my veins?

Edward moved closer to me, placing his hand on my arm, when I didn't continue to talk, and Jasper stepped aside to give him more room. All of the emotions that I was feeling vanished. It was like someone hit a switch.

"I don't know," I said again. "After Jasper touched me, I could feel everyone's emotions. But now, I don't feel them anymore."

"Interesting..."Carlisle murmured. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning. I took a look into his mind. _Could she possible have more than one gift? It would be extraordinary. I wonder..._ "Bella, you said you do not feel the emotions anymore?" He asked. I shook my head. "When did you stop feeling them?"

"Uhm," I looked back, trying to pinpoint when it went away. "Right after Jasper let go of my arm."

His eyes lit up. "Carlisle, what's going on?" Edward asked. He sounded as frustrated as I felt.

I was just about to take another look into his head, when Carlisle spoke. "Now, Bella, I want you to do me a favor. And while you are doing this, try not to read my mind. I don't want you to be influenced by knowing what I believe is going on." He waited, looking to me to give him my word. I nodded. "Okay, now Jasper I want you to touch Bella's arm again. Bella, when he does this, I want you to tell me if anything happens."

"Okay," I said timidly.

Jasper walked back to my side and placed his hand on the arm that Edward wasn't holding onto. To my surprise, I could once again feel everyone's emotions. Carlisle's was the one that now stood out the most, excitement and curiosity coming off of him in drones.

"I feel them again," I said, a little breathless. "The emotions."

"Just as I expected," Carlisle nodded. He was just about to speak when Edward interrupted him.

"Carlisle, I can feel it, too. The emotions, I mean." He sounded absolutely amazed.

"Really?" I could feel Carlisle's emotions getting even stronger, his excitement bubbling over.

"Yes, and would you please try to calm down, Carlisle? You're emotions are all over the place."

"Oh, yes I am sorry." He slowly calmed himself down. "Now, I want to try one more thing."

"Can't this wait," Alice interrupted. "Bella has got to be thirsty, Carlisle. She needs to go hunting."

"Yes, dear," Esme chimed in. "We wouldn't want her to be in any unnecessary pain."

As they spoke, the fire in my throat returned with vengeance, but I ignored it. I wanted to find out what was going on with me. My thirst could wait a while longer.

"I'm fine," I promised. "I can wait a little bit. I just really want to figure out what's going on with me. Please?"

"If you're sure..." I could feel the compassion coming off of Esme. I smiled.

"Positive."

"Okay then, back to what I was saying. Edward, I want you to remove your hand from Bella's arm and tell me if anything happens." Edward did what Carlisle said, and a dawn of understanding crossed his face. I burned to look into his mind to see what he knew, but refrained because I told Carlisle I wouldn't.

"It's gone," Edward was saying. "As soon as I let go, all of the emotions I was feeling from everyone went away."

Carlisle just nodded his head. "Now, place you're hand back on her arm," he instructed.

Edward did one better and took my hand in his. I felt a jolt of electricity go through me, the familiar feelings that his touch always brought me resurfacing. I pushed those feelings away, not wanting to think about that right now.

"I feel the emotions again," Edward announced, though his voice was not shocked. It sounded as if this was what he expected to happen.

"Excellent," Carlisle responded. He was so happy he was almost glowing. "Now, Jasper, I want you to let go of Bella."

Jasper did as he was told, and once again all of the emotions disappeared.

"They're gone," I said.

"Edward?" Carlisle asked.

"I don't feel them anymore, either."

"Just what I expected." His eyes were bright with excitement, and I was itching to know what was happening to me.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Well, Bella, it seems that you have more than one gift. When Jasper is in physical contact with you, you absorb his power. It's amazing. It is also a very rare gift."

I gaped. "I can absorb others' powers?" That was strange, even for a vampire.

"Yes. But it seems that there are only certain ones that you have to be in physical contact with the person who had that power to be able to absorb it. You were not touching Edward when you first heard our thoughts. Interesting. And I believe that the reason why Edward could also feel the emotions was because he was also in physical contact with you."

"Wow," Rosalie said. "That's....amazing." Her mind, for the first time ever I would bet, was completely blank.

"Awesome!" Emmett roared. "I got the coolest little sister ever." His thoughts were his exact words. Emmett always spoke his mind. I smiled.

"Gee, thanks," I laughed.

"Yes, yes Bella is amazing. Now can we please take her hunting?" Alice asked, impatient. "I think we would all feel more comfortable after she hunts. Especially Bella." She looked at my pointingly. I felt the fire rage up again at her words.

"Yeah," I chimed in. "Can we, please?" It was getting worse by the second.

"Of course. I am sorry, Bella. We can continue to experiment with your powers when you return. Alice, Jasper why don't you two take her," Carlisle suggested.

"I'm coming, too," Edward put in. Despite myself, I was very happy that he had volunteered. "If you don't mind, of course," he added, looking at me. His face was perfectly smooth, but I could easily read the hope in his eyes.

"Of course I don't mind," I said quickly.

"All right, let's get going," Jasper said.

"Yes, lets. Preferably _before_ Jasper has a brain aneurysm," Alice put in. We laughed.

"You ready for your first hunting trip?" Edward asked, his eyes now excited. _I can't wait to see her hunt. I bet she is the most beautiful predator..._

I felt my stomach clench up in nervousness at his thoughts, but nodded. We turned and jumped from the open window, Alice and Jasper following closely behind. As we ran off into the woods, I tried not to think about the fact that Edward's hand was still clasped tightly around mine.

**What do you think? Let me know! I want at least 10 reviews before I post my next chapter. So, if you want me to update asap, hit that little button and leave me some reviews!!! :)**

**Love, edwardnbella4eva09**


	12. First Hunt

**Chapter 10: First Hunt**

**Disclaimer: All cred goes to the brilliant Stephanie Meyer.**

**A/N: Thank you all for your amazing reviews! I absolutely loved all of them. They honestly keep me writing. I'm so happy that you all are enjoying this. :)**

In spite of all the positive thoughts that they were having about my first hunt, I was still extremely nervous as we disappeared into the trees behind the Cullen house. It was a weird feeling, the anxiousness. My heart, now forever still in my chest, should have been beating rapidly in response to what I was feeling. My breathing maybe even slightly hitched as I ran alongside Edward, Alice and Jasper through the familiar forest. But my heart was as still as ever, my breathing coming out in completely controlled, regular intervals from my mouth. Yeah, like I said, weird.

The burning in my throat got slightly less pronounced as I tried not to think, once again, of Edward's hand wrapped securely around mine. I tried not to think about how wonderfully _warm_ it felt, even though only month's prior it would have been as cold as an ice pack against my skin. I tried not to think about how easily we ran together through the trees, in perfect synchronization. I tried not to think about how utterly happy I was, despite the fact that I still felt terribly guilty for causing my parents the pain of losing me, that I was now Edward's equal. He couldn't run from me again; not easily, anyway. I tried not to think of all of these things, and failed miserably.

So it was a shock to me, with all of these thoughts racing through my head, when we came to a sudden stop in the middle of the moss covered forest. I really did miss this, the greenness of Forks. Huh, never thought that would happen.

"Okay, Bella," Edward started, dropping my hand while stepping behind me and placing both of his hands on my shoulders. I tried not to think about that, too. "I want you to close your eyes and focus. Do you hear anything?" I complied, and after a moment I almost laughed at his question.

Did I hear anything? Was he joking? I could hear _everything_. From his, Alice's and Jasper's shallow breathing, to the steady stream of the river that was nearby, the sound of footsteps crunching under the deadened leaves and grass. I focused in on that one, knowing that it was what I was suppose to be listening for. As I did, I realized that it wasn't footsteps I was hearing, it was actually the paws of an animal slowly treading through the forest. No, not just one animal, I realized.

"There are some deer nearby. Maybe....at least five?" I guessed.

"Very good, Bella," Alice encouraged. "Now, keeping your eyes closed, use your other senses to try and pinpoint their location."

Ignoring the urge I had to look into her thoughts, knowing that she knew exactly where they were already, I took in a deep breath of air. I smelled the damp grass, the earth, and also something that smelled like curdled milk left out in the sun for a week. I held back a gag. But above all, I smelled a sweet, tantalizingly delicious scent. The fire in my throat quickly made it's presence known, stronger than ever.

"That way," I declared, opening my eyes and pointing to my right beyond the trees.

"Excellent, Bella," Jasper replied. He seemed impressed. "Now, follow the scent. Just let your instincts take over. You'll know what to do." Edward released his hold on my shoulders. And I was off.

It was like there was a magnent pulling me towards my prey. I ran, dodging through the trees, using my newborn strengths to the fullest to cover ground more quickly. All I could manage to think about was the fire that was raging in my throat. All I wanted was to feel the animal's warm blood flow into my mouth and down my throat, knowing that this would cease the burning. I ran faster.

I didn't slow as the deer came into view. I had been right, there was five of them, spread out in a small clearing, nosing at the ground for some undead grass to eat. I saw two standing side by side and went after them, not even pausing in my stride as I automatically sank into a crouch.

I quickly grabbed both of them by the neck, snapping them in the same instant. I turned to closest one and sank my teeth right into it's neck. It was _sooo_ wonderful. I immediately felt the fire being extinguished in my throat as the sweet blood flowed down it. I quickly drained the deer, and moved on my second kill, sucking it dry just as fast.

Once I was finished, I felt a million times better, as if the burn in my throat had never been there in the first place.

I turned around to see the other three finishing up the deer that I had not gotten to. Edward was the closest, and I could perfectly see the pride and adoration in his topaz colored eyes as he looked at me. I couldn't stop myself from taking a little peak into his mind.

_Wow, she is even more beautiful than I imagined. Such grace and agility. She's a natural, as if she was born to become one of us..._

I waited for the blush that was sure to creep onto my face, but it didn't come. That was going to take some getting use to, too. I also couldn't help but to think that he was right, about me being born to eventually become a vampire. Everything was just so...well...easy. It was natural. It just all felt so right. As if I was exactly who I was suppose to be, where I was suppose to be. It was definitely a good feeling.

_Ha! Now she'll _have _to go shopping with me. Her clothes are totally wrecked, she'll have nothing....to...wear...._ Alice's voice trailed off, and I was just about to tell her that there was still no way I was going to go shopping with her, when her mind went completely blank. I was no longer seeing the forest in front of me, instead now I was seeing, well, _nothing_. Everything was absolutely black. I almost started to panic when everything materialized back in front of me, nothing changing except for the confused expressions that now shown on everyones face, and Jasper's position, who was now standing in front of Alice looking into her wide eyes.

"What did you see, Alice?" he asked.

I knew what that meant. I had seen Jasper ask her that same question countless times before when we were on our little vaction in Phoenix last spring. She had had a vision. That explained the change of scenery that had occured in front of me. I had been in her mind while she had the vision, and consequently had seen what she saw. But that didn't explain why everything was black. Like there was no future....I shuddered at the thought.

"I...I don't know," Alice stuttered. I had never, _ever_ heard Alice mutter those three words. Alice _always_ knew. That kind of came along with the territory when you could see the future. But right now she looked absolutely lost. It didn't comfort my already growing uneasiness.

Jasper waited for her to continue, but she just stood there with her wide eyes unfocused, trying to see the future again. I looked into her mind and saw the same thing as before; nothing.

Jasper looked to me and Edward, panic clearly showing in his honey eyes. "Bella? Edward? Did you see anything?"

"No," I said. "But that's what Alice is seeing, too," I went on before he could get more frustrated. "Every time she tries to look into the future, there's nothing there. Just blackness."

The lines of worry on his face didn't disappear with my explanation; they only got even deeper, seeming to be permanently carved into his marble skin.

"Has that ever happened before?" I wondered out loud.

"No, never," was his reply.

I realized that Edward hadn't said anything this whole time, and looked at him to see what could make him silent. But his back was now to me, so I couldn't see his expression. I looked into his mind again.

_It can't possibly be,_ he was thinking, anxiety laced in this thoughts. _It's been years. Almost a hundred. I thought they would have died out by now. But it smells just like _them_... _he trailed off.

I took a deep breath through my nose, trying to see what he was talking about with the smell. And there it was again, the same disgusting smell from earlier. Only now it was stronger, more pronounced than before. I was wrong, it didn't smell like curdled milk left out in the sun for a week; it was worse. Whatever it was, it had the hair on the back of my neck standing on end and my instincts were telling me that danger was near. I gracefully slid down into my crouch, and heard a fierce growl spring from my lips.

This seemed to snap Edward out of his musings. He looked down at me, and immediately went into action.

"Jasper we have to get back to the house _now_. If this is what I think it is, then we can't be caught out in the open like this. We need to talk to Carlisle." They looked at each other in the eyes for a moment, communicating silently, and then without another word, Edward grabbed my hand, forcing me to spin around and run back towards the house with him. I could have easily fought against his grasp, but I didn't knowing that I wanted to get away from that sickening smell as soon as possible.

I looked behind us as we ran, checking to make sure that Alice and Jasper were still there. They were no where to be seen. I couldn't even hear their thoughts.

"Edward?" I asked in a panic. "Where are Alice and Jasper?"

"They ran a different path so that our sent doesn't lead _them_ straight back to the house. It won't do much good, but it's better than leaving a clear and easy trail. It will give us more time to prepare if they decide to follow." Well, that explained why we were running a zigzag sort of path.

I sighed in relief. "Who are _they_?" I inquired, confused.

Edward's lips curled back over his teeth and he muttered, "Old _friends_," under his breath. His demeanor and tone inferred otherwise.

A look in his mind told me that there was one word replaying in his mind over and over again. This one small, ten letter word confused me and at the same time made me think that maybe I truly was crazy, and that this really was all just a dream that I was having because I ate some cold pizza before I went to bed, that I would wake up and be back in Charlie's house, my first day at my new school yet to happen.

And I was thinking this because the one word I heard in Edward's mind seemed to be about as farfetched as the word _vampires_ had been to me a year ago.

_Werewolves._

Yep, I was definitely crazy.

**Yay it only took me a week to get this up! :)**

**I really hope you guys enjoyed.**

**10 reviews required for the next chappie to be posted.**

**Thanks again for all the lovely, fantastical reviews I got on the last chapter. I really hope all of you who reviewed will do so again, and those of you who aren't reviewing, review! lol**

**I promise, it only takes a sec && it'll make me update faster.**

**So motivate me ppls! Hit that cute little button! :)**

**Love you all, edwardnbella4eva09 3**


	13. Legends

**Chapter 11: Legends**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of the characters, any Twilight material or scenes from the book. All cred goes to Stephanie Meyer.**

**A/N: Sorry it took so long for me to get this up. I keep getting my infamous writer's block. But, I got through it and now I know where this story is going. I really hope you like it. Enjoy!**

This could not be happening. There weren't such things as werewolves! They were just scary stories, Hollywood's creation. Just like..vampires.

It made no sense. Why did all of these mythical creatures keep popping into my life? Why _me?_ Maybe there really was something wrong with my brain, something that attracted all of these suppose to be 'fictitious' beings to me. Figures.

Edward didn't slow down or let go of my hand as we bursted through the back doors of the house. He only came to a stop when we entered the living room and saw Carlisle there, calmly watching some news report on the TV. His demeanor quickly changed when he saw our expressions.

"What is it? What's wrong? Did something go wrong with the hunting trip?" As his quizzical eyes zoned in on me, I realized what he probably thought happened; he thought I had attacked a human. I took a look into his thoughts just to be sure my assumption was correct.

_Oh, no. I really hope that Bella didn't kill anyone. But, it doesn't make sense. She went to her father's _and_ was in the same room as her mother, and yet she didn't attack them. Something else must be wrong..._

That was just like Carlisle. He looked at every option before he jumped to conclusions. Unlike _some_ people I knew. I realized that that _someone_ I had in mind was still clinging to my hand. But I didn't have time to think about that, because at that moment Alice and Jasper barreled into the house. I sighed with relief.

"We laid the false trail. We made a complete loop of the forest, doubled back, and then followed your trail so there was only one that led straight to the house," Jasper reported. I could tell that he had already switched himself into military mode.

Edward nodded. "Good. That should give us some time by confusing them, or at least if they decide to take both trails it splits up their numbers."

"How many of them are there?"

"At least six. So if they do split up, only three of them will be headed this way."

"Ahem," Esme cleared her throat, something very unnecessary for a vampire. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but what exactly is going on?" Her eyes were worried.

"Yeah, why all the military lingo?" Emmett asked. I looked around, and noticed that everyone had migrated to the living room in the few seconds that Edward and Jasper had been talking. They had no doubt heard the conversation just as clearly as I had, no matter where they had been in the house.

"The wolves are back," Edward stated grimly.

Everyone was silent. I looked at the faces of my family, and saw that they all wore the same mask of shock. Well, all but one. Emmett looked absolutely ecstatic.

But I was still completely confused. There were werewolves out there; so what? I didn't see the big deal, unless they were dangerous. But, nothing was dangerous to us. We were vampires; nothing could penetrate our hard marble skin. Right?

I decided to voice my confusion. Honestly, it didn't look like anyone was going to be talking anytime soon, anyway.

"Uhm, guys? What's the big deal here? It's not like anything can hurt us, especially not a bunch of dogs." The thought was absurd to me, and it clearly showed in my tone.

I saw everyone exchange a nervous glance that I didn't understand. What was going on? After a moment, Carlisle spoke.

"Bella, do you know anything about the Quileute legends?" he finally asked timidly.

I was stunned. Yes, I definitely knew all about the Quileute legends. Jacob had told me all about them on my trip to First Beach last year. I was trying to get information out of him about the Cullen's, and he inadvertently was the one who told me what Edward was, what I now was, a vampire.

I thought past what he told me about the 'cold ones' and focused on the beginning part of his story. I had no trouble recalling our conversation.

"_Do you know any of our old stories, about where we came from- the Quileutes, I mean?" he began._

"_Not really," I admitted._

"_Well, there are lots of legends, some of them claiming to date back to the Flood- supposedly, the ancient Quileutes tied their canoes to the tops of the tallest trees on the mountain to survive like Noah and the ark." He smiled, to show me how little stock he put in the histories. "Another legend claims that we descended from wolves- and that the wolves are our brothers still. It's against tribal law to kill them....."_

"_You see, the cold ones are the natural enemies of wolves that turn into men, like our ancestors. You would call them werewolves."_

"_Werewolves have enemies?"_

"_Only one."_

I gasped as I realized what this meant.

"The legends are true?!?" I screamed.

"I'm afraid so," Carlisle answered, not shocked by my sudden outburst.

Well, it really wasn't every day that you found out that a bunch of people that you've known your whole life could morph into dogs...

The word 'dog' brought back a dream that I had once had when I was human. It was the night after Jacob had told me about his legends, and about the cold ones.

I was walking in the woods, trying to find my way to the sun, when Jacob had came out of no where. He grabbed my hand, trying to, I realized now, get me away from Edward. But it was too late, and right before Edward had appeared, he...he...

_But Jacob let go of my hand and yelped, suddenly shaking, falling to the dim forest floor. He twitched on the ground as I watched in horror. _

"_Jacob!" I screamed. But he was gone. In his place was a large red-brown wolf with black eyes. The wolf faced away from me, pointing toward the shore, the hair on the back of his shoulders bristling, low growls issuing from between his exposed fangs...._

Was everyone I knew a mythical creature? Was Charlie- I winced as I thought his name- going to suddenly turn into Big Foot? It was absurd.

But I had to deal with it. I _could_ deal with it. It's not like I've never found out that something that I once thought could never possibly in this world be true, acutally was.

I was still a little confused, though. Why were they all so tense? It didn't make sense.

"Okay...," I started slowly. "But, still, why the big issue? According to what I was told, you guys made a treaty with the Quileute's. As long as you kept off their land, you wouldn't bother each other. And you haven't been on their land, right?"

"No." It was Edward who answered this time, and I looked up to him to see the tension that was etched across his face. "But there was another part of the treaty. Not only were we suppose to stay off of their land, but we were not allowed to bite or kill another human. Ever. If we do, the war begins." I felt an nonexistent chill go up my spine when he said the word 'war'.

"Okay, still not making any sense of this here. Last time I checked, no one here has bit or killed anyone lately. Am I right?" I looked around into everyone's eyes, but they were all various shades of gold. No red in sight.

"Right," Edward said slowly. "But if they see you, they might not stop to ask questions. If I'm not mistaken, you're dad is friends with some of the people on the reservation, correct?" I could see where this was going. I only nodded, not trusting my voice. "Well, then that means that they most likely already know about your 'death.' And definitely they know that we were together last year..." he trailed off, and I knew why. It hurt for him to say, and for _me_ to hear, him use the past tense when it came to us. He continued. "So, if they jump to conclusions, putting two and two together..."he left his sentence unfinished.

"The war begins," Emmett finished for him. He sounded absolutely jubilant.

"No," I began. "No, that can't happen. It's not fair. None of you had anything to do with me becoming like this!" I motioned to my body, realizing for the first time that I actually had yet to see what I now looked like. I ignored that thought. "They can't attack us. You didn't do anything wrong, you didn't break the treaty!" I finished angrily.

Edward sighed. "I know, Bella, I know. But I highly doubt that they're going to ask any questions if they see you. They are creatures who are controlled by their emotions. And after they see you, there is not going to be any reasoning with them. We won't be able to stop them."

"Yes!" Emmett roared. "Finally! I've been itching to have a good fight, since I really haven't had one in, like, _forever_!" He quieted down after Rosalie directed a glare towards him.

I rolled my eyes. Emmett _will_ be Emmett.

"There has to be something that we can do," Esme said gently. I looked to her, and felt even more tense. I couldn't imagine sweet, loving Esme fighting. I couldn't let this happen.

Edward suddenly tensed at my side. "Well, we don't have time to come up with an alternative." He looked at everone in the room before looking down at me. I could see the fear and anger in his eyes. "They're here."

**Ah, a cliffy. I know, you hate me. But, I promise that since I know where this is going now, ( I even drew out a time line), I won't be as likely to take so long with my updates.**

**And I also know that some of you are probably wondering why Bella isn't freaking out about the fact that werewolves exist like she did in New Moon. Well, this is b/c she never got the chance to go to La Push and get really close with all the boys there, especially Jake. **

**So please, **_**please **_**REVIEW!!! I really want to know what you guys think.**

**I hope you guys liked! :)**

**Love, edwardnbella4eva09**


	14. Preperation

**Chapter 12: Preperation**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, it all belongs to Stephanie Meyer.**

**A/N: GO READ SUPERNOVA BY SUSANASHLEA!!! Do it now!!! its an amazing story! ^.^**

Carlisle was the first one to speak.

"Here is what we are going to do." His voice was thick with authority. "Bella, you stay upstairs out of sight. And be very quiet." He looked to me for conformation that I understood, and I nodded yes. "Alright, now we are going to invite them inside-"

"Are you crazy!?" Rosalie interrupted. "Not only is that a horrible idea, but do you know how long it will take to get the stench out of the house?"

Carlisle looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Are you finished?" he asked. Rosalie nodded, looking like a sullen child who didn't get the candy bar they wanted from the store. "Good. Now, as I was saying, we will invite them in and speak CIVILLY," he emphasized with a look at Rose. "I am sure that they are most likely just wondering why we are back."

"Yes," Edward added, no doubt reading the dogs' minds. "That's exactly what they want to know. They're not even connecting our return with Bella's death."

"Excellent," Carlisle said. He looked to Alice. "Will this end as we hope?"

And, for the first time since I've known her, Alice looked totally, completely, 100%.... lost. It was not a comforting thing to witness at a time like this.

"I...I can't see...anything.." she stuttered; another unusual thing for Alice to do.

"What do you mean you can't see??" Rosalie asked, confirming my fear that this had never happened before.

"Everything is just...black." Alice looked terrified. I looked in to her mind, and sure enough it was the same as it was early; just a black screen, like someone had turned all the lights out in a room with no windows.

Esme, being the compassionate person that she was, walked over to her and wrapped her arm around Alice, rubbing her shoulder in a very mothering way. "It's okay, dear, I am sure that it is just a fluke," she said in a soothing voice. "But," she continued, turning toward the rest of us, "I am afraid that we have bigger matters to deal with." She nodded towards the front of the house.

Carlisle seemed to snap out of his ravine. "Yes, we do. Bella, go ahead and get upstairs. It's time to get this over with."

I knew that the only reason everyone was so nervous about this confrontation was Alice's inablitly to see the outcome. A black future could not be a good thing.

I nodded to Carlisle and turned to make my escape. I got as far as halfway up the stairs before I turned back around to look at the family...._my_ family. "Be careful," I whispered. They nodded, Emmett adding a big, goofy smile, no doubt praying to whatever Gods above that this would break out in a fight. I hoped that my prayers were enough to cancel his out.

Just as I was beginning to turn back around, Edward caught my eye. His face was a mask, but I could see all of the hidden emotions in his eyes; fear, anger, defiance, love. And then I heard his voice clearly in my mind, so clearly that he could have been standing right next to me.

_I love you, don't ever forget that._

I felt the prick behind my eyes of the tears that would never fall as I mouthed back _I know._ I still wasn't strong enough to say how I really felt, even at a moment like this. I couldn't tell him how much I really did loved him, how much I just wanted him to take me into his arms and never let go. Not yet, maybe not ever now, if this ended...badly. I pushed that particular thought out of my mind as I looked at my family for what very well maybe the last time. And, with one last smile to Edward, I turned and ran up the stairs.

**A/N: I know, its a really short chapter, but this is just a filler. Right after I post this, I am going to write the next chapter right away. It will be in someone else's POV and I just really don't like switching POV's in the middle of a chapter. It bothers me lol. So after you read this, I should have my next chapter up in no more than 2 hours. **

**Hope you all liked it! ^.^ review!**

**Love, edwardnbella4eva09**


	15. Ghosts from the Past

**Chapter 13: Ghosts from the Past**

_**beta'd by the amazing IwInYouLose-Izzy and Crystallized Hope. Special thanks to Crystallized Hope for helping me get through my plot problems.**_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, it all belongs to Stephanie Meyer.**

**A/N: Horrible me, I decided not to switch the POV's. My plot just wouldn't work if Bella weren't the one 'speaking.' So, I'm sorry I made you guys wait for nothing. But here it is! I hope you guys like it!**

**BPOV**

As I made my way up to the third floor, I tried my hardest not to feel like a coward. I really felt terrible, leaving my family down there to fight my battles for me. It was my fault that they were back in Forks in the first place. But I knew that this was the only way to try to prevent a fight. If the wolves saw me, they would act on instinct, killing first, asking questions never.

So as I shut the door to Edward's room as quietly as I could manage, I made my decision; I would listen intently to the conversation going on below, and if it even _seemed_ that a fight was going to break out I would intervene. I would not loose the only family I had left, not now that they were finally back in my life.

So it was with that resolve that I heard Carlisle 'welcome' our 'guests.'

"Good afternoon. May I help you?" His voice was polite, but I could hear the tension that was buried just beneath it.

"Yes, I am Sam. This is Jacob and Embry." Jacob came with them. Definitely a good thing I was hidden. I knew that he would recognize me, no matter what.

I tuned back in as the one named Sam continued. "I believe that you know why we are here."

There was a short pause, and then Carlisle spoke. "Yes, we do. Why don't you come in so we can discuss matters more...comfortably."?

_Ew, I _so_ don't want to go in there. It reeks enough just standing on their front porch!_

The thought came from no where, and I could tell that it was from one of the wolf boys. Interesting; we must smell bad to them just like they do to us. Huh.

"Of course," I heard Sam say. I could already tell that he was something of a leader of the dogs'. Not only did none of the other boys speak, out loud anyway, but also the tone of authority rang in every word he spoke.

I heard some shuffling around, and Carlisle introduced the wolves to the rest of the family.

"This is my wife, Esme, my daughters Rosalie and Alice, and my sons Emmett, Jasper, and Edward."

It was very hard not to laugh at the thoughts that came from my family when they were introduced.

_Oh, their feet are so _filthy. _I really hope that they do not make stains on my beautiful white carpet._

_Ugh! It reeks in here already! I _told _Carlisle, and now he's going to regret not listening to me. We'll have to burn down the house just to get rid of that damn smell!_

_Still can't see the future. This is getting so frustrating. And, oh my, look at their _clothes!_ I've seen poodles dressed better. They seriously need some shopping advice. And a shower._

_Who let the dogs out? Who?! Who?! Who?! Oh, bring it on you stupid mongrels. One wrong move and you'll be eating your kibble out of a tube for the rest of your life._

_I hope Alice is okay. I know she's worried about not being able to see the future. I just want these _dogs_ to hurry this up and get out of here so we can figure this out. And plus, I just can't take all of this tension that's radiating off everyone for much longer._

The last one surprised me the most and the least at the same time.

_Bella, I know you're listening to this, and I just want to say that if anything goes wrong, you get yourself _out_. We can handle ourselves. Trust me._

This was surprising because Edward thought, for some unfathomable reason, that he had the right to ask me to _trust him_ after all he put me through. But it also didn't surprise me at all because, if what he had told me early was true, he really never did think of himself first. It was just like him to think of me before he thought about anyone else. My emotions were starting to get really jumbled; hate, anger, resentment, love, joy, contempment. It was very confusing.

I pushed aside my mixed emotions to listen back in to the conversation.

"What are you and your family doing back in Forks? The pack had the impression that you all had moved on," Sam stated, getting straight to the point. I could tell that he didn't like being in a house full of vampires just as much as my family didn't like our house being invaded by wolves.

"We have moved on, it's just that we came back after we heard the news of Bella's death. My children were very close to her, you see, as well as my wife and I were. We thought it best to attend her funeral and pay our respects."

_How _dare _they have the audacity to want to go to Bella's funeral?! After they left her to fend for herself all those months ago. Not to mention the state she was in; Charlie told me how much of a zombie she was before she moved back to Phoenix. If it wasn't for them barging into her life, she would still be here, alive. Stupid, blood-sucking leeches._

Two guesses who's mind that thought came from.

"Are you sure that is such a good idea?" I heard Sam inquire. "There might be some people who will get angry if you come to the funeral. Bella wasn't exactly...herself after you guys left Forks."

In his mind, I saw him recalling finding me in the woods the day the Cullens left. I looked so...dead. My eyes, my face was completely lifeless. I felt a nonexistent shiver go up my spine.

Edward, surprisingly, was the one to answer Sam. "No offense, but we have just as much right as anyone to be at Bella's...funeral." His voice cracked just in the right place. He really was a fantastic actor. No wonder I believed him so easily that day in the woods. "We all need some closure. Just because we left does not mean we stopped caring." I could tell that there was a hidden truth in the words he spoke. I felt that prickle behind my eyes again. _Geez,_ I thought to myself. _My emotions really are messed up._

"How dare you!!!" I heard Jacob yell, choosing to speak for the first time.

Sam was on him instantly. "Jacob, calm down. I told you that if you couldn't handle this to go with the other group. Now you won't interrupt again if you want to stay." I definitely heard that ring of command in his voice this time.

Jacob instantly quieted down, though his thoughts did just the opposite. I never heard so many profanities used in a single sentence before.

"I understand, and I still think that it might not be such a good idea, but we will not stop you. Just know that your presence might not be welcomed by everyone," Sam continued calmly.

"Thank you. Is that all?" Carlisle asked.

"Well, there is one more thing I would like to bring up," he said. I could hear the tension raise even more in his voice.

"Of course," Carlisle responded politely.

"In the past few months, my pack has spotted one of your kind roaming around the woods surrounding the town. Thought, she is not exactly _your_ kind we have come to realize." For some unknown reason to me, his voice became very bitter and angry. "It seems that this _visitor_ does not share the same diet as you and your family does. We came to realize this when hikers started to go missing from the woods. We found their bodies completely drained of blood, so the cause of death is very obvious."

Sam's anger now made sense. There was some nomadic vampire hunting humans in this area. That couldn't be good.

"We were wondering if, by any chance, you would know who the vampire is, or if you know any reason why she would be stalking this area. She seems to be looking for something, and being as you are the only vampires to ever lived in the area, we thought you might have an idea of who she is."

There was a long pause as Carlisle considered what Sam had just told him. When he spoke his voice was wary and cautious.

"Do you have any idea of what she looks like?" he asked timidly.

"Well, all that we have really been able to see of her before she escapes is her hair."

"Her hair?" Carlisle asked, confused. Why would this vampires hair, out of anything, be the one thing that stood out the most to the wolves?

"Yes, I know it sounds odd, but her hair is her dominant feature. It's a bright, flaming red. All the way down her back."

Two things happened at once; one, Sam thought of this nomad in his mind, and I had to agree that her hair was the feature that stood out the most. But I looked past it, to her face.

Second, I realized that shockingly I recognized this vampire. Not only did I recognize her, but that face trudged up all of the nightmares that I used to have when I was human; those same crazy, blood-red eyes, the mane of vivid red hair.

Victoria was back.

**Dun dun dun. Lol. I hope you guys liked it. Sorry it took me an extra day to get it up. I was having a little writers block, so I decided I'd much rather post a day late than put up a crappy chapter.**

**Thank you for all your VERY positive feedbacks and adds. You have no idea how happy it makes me to have my inbox bombarded by you guys. ^.^**

**Oh, and if you liked it, guess what you should do???**

**Review! lol**

**Love,edwardnbella4eva09 **


	16. Leeches in the Air

**Chapter 14: Leeches in the Air**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of it's characters. Stephanie Meyer does.**

JacobPOV

The stupid leeches were back. How dare they have the balls to show their faces anywhere near Forks after what they did to Bella? And I knew that was the reason why they were back- because Bella was dead.

That thought alone sent rolling tremors all through my body. Bella was gone, forever. I hardly knew her. My dad and hers were best friends but I was too young to remember her back when she would come to visit Charlie for the summer. But the toll that it was taking on Charlie, and in return on my dad, hurt me too.

It was hard enough to see how lost Charlie had been about how to handle Bella after the bloodsuckers had left, but now seeing him was completely unbearable. I couldn't even stand to be in the same room as him. He just looked so distraught and broken. It was too much.

And it was all the parasites' fault. They never should have gotten so involved in Bella's life. They knew that they would have to eventually move on and leave her. But that didn't matter to them. They thought that they were all-powerful and mighty just because of what they were. They thought they could do anything that they wanted just because they were invincible. Well, almost invincible. I bet I could bring their arrogance down a couple notches.

_Jacob, if you can't even control your _thoughts _on violence against the Cullens, I'm not sure it's such a great idea to be taking you with us, _Sam's voice rang with authority.

Turns out all of the legends that I grew up hearing as a kid were true. My tribe really was descended from wolves, bound to protect our people against those stupid blood-sucking monsters. So that meant that when the beasts come around La Push or Forks, the descendants of the tribe's original pack started to shape shift into wolves. Lucky me, I just happen to be the great, great, grandson of Ephraim Black, former Chief of the Quileutes.

And one of those little 'perks' that came with being a werewolf was that when we were in our wolf form we could hear our pack brothers' thoughts. Every single one of them. All the time. Needless to say, it got REALLY annoying.

_I'm fine, _I insisted. _If you're so worried, why don't you just order me not to attack any of the stupid bloodsuckers?_

Sam was the alpha in our pack. When he gave us a command, we had to follow it. No matter what it was. He could tell me to go jump off of the Empire State building and I'd have to go do it. Seriously.

I felt Sam mentally wince. _You know that I don't want to do that Jacob. I don't like taking away your guys' free will._

_Well then stop badgering me so much. I promised you I wouldn't start anything. Chill._

Sam, surprisingly, let it go. Probably because he was trying to stay focused on what we were heading to do.

_Which is what you should be doing, too, Jacob, _Sam thought. I gave him a mental eye roll.

We-and when I say 'we' I mean me, Sam, and Embry- were headed to the leech infested house in the woods. Since they were back, we had to meet with them to find out why they returned and to make sure they kept up with the treaty that our ancestors had made with them ages ago.

_I mean it, Jacob. If I have even the slightest feeling that you're going to cause any trouble I won't hesitate to order you away, _Sam thought as the big white house came into view.

_Sure, sure, _was my reply.

As we got closer to the house the trail that we had been following-which had also been how we had been altered to the fact that they were back- got stronger, more potent. The icy fire that was already in my nose increased, and I bit back a whine. They really did smell gross.

We approached the huge front porch- I mean really, why did they need such a huge house anyway? It's not like they're human and need human things like bedrooms, kitchen, bathrooms, etc. Sam changed back into his human form.

_Listen to him, Jake_ Embry spoke up for the first time since we had caught the trail. _I'm not sayin' that I won't have your back if things break out into a fight, but I really don't want to go through all the trouble. _Embry was the peacemaker of the pack. Some would even call him bit of a push over.

I gave him a swift bobble of my head before I changed back to my human form. I quickly untied the cut off shorts from my ankle and pulled them on.

Another plus to being a werewolf- when we change, our clothes don't just magically disappear and then reappear once we change back. If you're wearing clothes when you go into wolf form, they get torn to shreds. Hence, the tied up shorts around the ankle. Which, I am proud to say, I actually came up with.

We stepped up to the door, me and Embry taking Sam's flanks, and Sam raised his hand to knock. Before his closed fist could touch the door it swung open. Stupid leeches and their stupid bloodsucker abilities.

"Good afternoon. May I help you?" It was the leader of the clan. Carlisle, I think his name was. He was dressed in light colored clothing, and I could tell just by looking at it that it was expensive. I did another mental eye roll.

"Yes, I am Sam. This is Jacob and Embry," Sam replied, gesturing behind him. ""I believe that you know why we are here." That was just like Sam; he got straight to the point.

"Yes, we do. Why don't you come in so we can discuss matters more...comfortably?" The leader asked. _Ew, I _so_ don't want to go in there. It reeks enough just standing on their front porch! _I thought to myself.

"Of course," Sam said. Ugh. This could not get any worse.

We walked into their lair, and the smell intensified even more. I had to stop myself from letting out a cry because it was so concentrated. It was as if someone was rubbing a scratch and sniff vampire in the room and wouldn't stop. Ugh.

I looked around their huge-and when I say huge, I mean _huge_- house. It was very tasteful, decorated in different shades of white. I could tell that everything in it was expensive. It peeved me off even more that monsters got to live so comfortably. They should be living in the sewers, away from civilization. Or six feet under, where they belong.

"This is my wife, Esme, my daughters Rosalie and Alice, and my sons Emmett, Jasper, and Edward," Carlisle spoke, pointing to each person in turn. I snorted internally at the titles he gave them- wife, daughter, son. It was beyond ridiculous.

Sam didn't bother introducing us again. I knew that he wanted to get this done and get out of here as soon as possible. "What are you and your family doing back in Forks? The pack had the impression that you all had moved on," he asked.

"We have moved on, it's just that we came back after we heard the news of Bella's death. My children were very close to her, you see, as well as my wife and I. We thought it best to attend her funeral and pay our respects," Carlisle answered. I was immediately pissed.

How dare they have the audacity to want to go to Bella's funeral?! After they left her behind to fend for herself all those months ago. Not to mention the state she was in; Charlie told me how much of a zombie she was before she moved back to Phoenix and every pack member saw the mess that Bella had become on the day that damn leech ditched her in the woods. If it weren't for them barging into her life, she would still be here, alive. Stupid, blood-sucking leeches_._

"Are you sure that is such a good idea?" Sam inquired. "There might be some people who will get angry if you come to the funeral. Bella wasn't exactly...herself after you guys left Forks." I knew he was reliving the time that he found Bella in the woods after the mind reading leech left her. I looked at said bloodsucker and saw him wince at the mental images that Sam was providing. Good. He deserved it. I smirked internally at his pain.

And then he spoke. "No offense, but we have just as much right as anyone to be at Bella's...funeral." I felt myself slowly beginning to shake as he continued. "We all need some closure. Just because we left does not mean we stopped caring." That was it for me.

"How dare you!!!" I screamed. I was just about to lunge myself at the parasite when Sam put a restraining hand on me.

"Jacob, calm down. I told you that if you couldn't handle this to go with the other group. Now you won't interrupt again if you want to stay," he ordered. I had no choice but to listen. But he couldn't stop my thoughts, so I directed all of them to the stupid leech. I don't think I've ever used so many cuss words in one sentence.

"I understand, and I still think that it might not be such a good idea, but we will not stop you. Just know that everyone might not welcome your presence," Sam continued calmly. I fumed internally at his words.

"Thank you. Is that all?" Carlisle asked.

"Well, there is one more thing I would like to bring up," he said. I felt the tension in the air, and I knew that he was about to ask about the nomad that had been stalking around our boundary lines.

"Of course," Carlisle responded politely.

"In the past few months, my pack has spotted one of your kind roaming around the woods surrounding the town. Thought, she is not exactly _your_ kind we have come to realize." I wondered if they had noticed his change in tone. We all got pretty angry when we thought of this unknown leech on our territory. "It seems that this _visitor_ does not share the same diet as you and your family does. We came to realize this when hikers started to go missing from the woods. We found their bodies completely drained of blood, so the cause of death is very obvious."

I grew angrier as I thought of the discoveries we had made. It made me even more pissed how we never seemed to be able to catch the bloodsucker; she always evaded us. It was like she was searching for something, trying to find a hole in our defenses. I just couldn't figure out what that something might be.

"We were wondering if, by any chance, you would know who the vampire is," Sam continued. "Or if you know any reason why she would be stalking this area. She seems to be looking for something, and being as you are the only vampires to ever live in the area, we thought you might have an idea of who she is."

Carlisle seemed to think through his answer carefully. "Do you have any idea of what she looks like?" he asked timidly.

"Well, all that we have really been able to see of her before she escapes is her hair."

"Her hair?" Carlisle asked, confused.

"Yes, I know it sounds odd, but her hair is her dominant feature. It's a bright, flaming red. All the way down her back." It came out of nowhere.

Edward let out a low menacing growl deep in his chest and I saw his lips tremble in silent speech. Whatever he had said, it made all the leeches tense up and become impossibly still. And then, out of nowhere, he disappeared. I tensed, and looked around to Sam, confused. Where did the murdering leech go? I couldn't shake the feeling that they were hiding something.

"What is it? Do you know who this nomad is?" Sam questioned immediately.

"Yes," Carlisle answered. "She is an old.... acquaintance of sorts. When was the last time you detected her in this area?"

Sam hesitated. He hadn't really wanted to give so much information. "About three weeks ago," he finally answered with a sigh. "We believe that she has moved on, but we thought we should ask, just in case."

Carlisle nodded his head, and said, "Yes, well we will certainty get a hold her and tell her not to encroach on your territory anymore." I could tell he was lying. The whole atmosphere of the room had changed. There was something he wasn't telling us.

"Thank you," Sam responded.

"Now, if you will excuse us, we have some matters to attend to. I believe we will see you at the funeral?" He seemed to be in a hurry to get us out of his house. Huh.

Sam nodded his head, although I could see that his jaw was set in a hard line. He knew they were keeping something from us, too.

As we closed the front door behind us, I turned to Sam. "They were lying. The female isn't a friend of theirs'. They're keeping something from us," I said, angered.

Sam nodded. "I know," was all he said.

We quickly walked to the woods that skirted the leeches' backyard. As we entered the trees, I had the sudden urge to turn around. I had that prickly feeling on the back of my neck; the one you get when someone is watching you.

I spun quickly and looked up to the third floor. I gasped, and my breath caught in my throat as the angel of Bella seemed to be watching me from the window. I reached up to rub my eyes. They had to be playing tricks on me.

And sure enough, when I looked back, she was gone.

"What is it?" Embry asked, instantly at my side, eyes searching for something out of place.

"It was...nothing. I think I really need to get some sleep," was my weak response.

I heard Sam howl behind me, sending out the signal for the rest of the pack to meet back at the reservation.

I turned my back to the big white house, and pulled off my pants, retying them to my ankle. As I shifted to my wolf form, I put the fact that I could of swore that I just saw Bella standing in that third floor window in the far back crevices of my mind

**I hope you liked it.**

**Thank you for all of your reviews! They truly are my inspiration for writing. I love having my inbox taken over by you guys! :)**

**Review please! :)**

**Love, edwardnbella4eva09**


	17. AN3

**Hey everyone, sorry this isnt a chapter :(**

**I am so so so so so sorry that i havent updated in so long. My computer broke down on me (  
I am on my brothers computer right now. I'm going to be getting a computer really soon, like in the next couple weeks.**

**But I promise you guys, i have not abondoned this story!!! There is no way at all that this story will not be left unfinished.**

**Please bare with me you guys! I love you all of my beautiful fans!**

**With much love,  
edwardnbella09**


	18. Starting to Crumble

**Chapter 15: Starting to Crumble  
**

**Disclaimer: i don't own Twilight or any of it's characters. All cred goes to Stephenie Meyer.**

**BPOV**

As soon as Victoria's image filtered across Sam's mind, Edward was by my side.

"What are you doing?" I whispered to him. Who knew if the dogs' had the same kind of hearing as us. "They're going to obviously know that you're missing."

His jaw was set in a hard line. "I'm guessing that you've been ease dropping," he whispered back in a harsh tone.

"Of course," I said.

He looked confused. "And yet your so calm. Did you not just hear that Victoria is back?"

I laughed my new trilling, musical laugh. Edward looked at me like I had officially gone mad. Maybe I had...

"Edward, you can't seriously be worried about Victoria now, can you?" I explained. "I mean, yeah if I were still human we'd have something to be worried about. But look at me. I'm just as indestructible as you. Even more so with my newborn strength." Typical Edward, worrying about me even when I have marble hard skin.

His brow furrowed. "I guess you're right. I just still don't like the idea of her out there looking for you."

"Wait," I said, standing up from my previous position on Edward's sofa. "How do you know that she's looking for me?"

Instead of responding, Edward suddenly launched at me and threw us both to the ground. I looked up, shocked. "What the hell was that?" I asked him.

"You were standing right in front of the window, Bella. The dogs are leaving."

"Oh," was all I could say. I was suddenly very aware of the fact that he was laying on top of me, his face only millimeters away from mine. It was like I had no control over what I was doing. I could smell his sweet scent coming off of his breath. It was pulling me closer to him, like a magnet, just like when I was human. The fact that I was still unsure if me and Edward could be together, all of my reasoning from earlier seemed to simply float right out of my mind. All I could think about was feeling his warm lips against mine....

"Bella!" Alice trilled as she came bursting into the room. And just like that the moment was gone. All of my doubt and reasons came slamming back into my mind. I gently pushed Edward away from me. I heard him let out a low growl to Alice. "Oops, sorry," she said. "I didn't know that I was interrupting something. I wasn't looking into the future. I'm actually still not sure if I can even see anything so I wasn't even thinking that-"

"You weren't," I quickly cut off her rambling before Edward could open his mouth. I saw the look of hurt flash across his face out of the corner of my eye. "I accidently stood in front of the window. I didn't realize the dogs were leaving."

"Okaaay," she dragged out, looking at us knowingly. "Well, anyway, Carlisle told me to come get you two. He wants us to have a family meeting in the dining room."

"Of course," I said. I followed her out the door without so much as a glance towards Edward, glad to have some space between us so that I could try not to think about what had almost transpired between us.

Of course I wasn't so lucky. The rest of the family was paired up, so the only two seats left for me and Edward around the large table were right next to each other. I sighed. Fate must really hate me. We both took our seats as Carlisle stood up from the head of the table and began to speak.

"Well, as all of you know, it seems that Victoria has been in this area. We can only conclude that the reason is because of us. Now, I am, at this point, not really seeing her as a threat. Bella is no longer human, so we have no worries there," Carlisle said, smiling my way. I felt Edward stiffen up next to me. "And we're not going to be around much longer anyway. But just in case, if any of you must hunt before we leave Sunday, I don't want any of you going alone. We all know the kind of vampire Victoria is, and whatever she is up to, it can't be anything good. Let's stick with the safety in numbers theory from this point on."

Everyone nodded, but I was curious about one thing. "Carlisle?" I asked. "Why do we have to wait until Sunday to leave? I mean, why can't we just go now so that we know there won't be any trouble with Victoria?" It was only Thursday. It didn't make any sense to me to stick around an extra three days for no reason.

Carlisle looked at me sadly. As a matter of fact, as I looked around the room, I realized that everyone had a look of sympathy on their faces. Except for Edward who was avoiding my gaze. Was I missing something here?

It was Esme who answered me. "Bella, honey," her voice was full of love and sympathy. "We have to stay to go to your funeral Sunday. Especially now that the wolves think that is the only reason why we are back. If we leave before, it will look suspicious." I froze.

"Oh, right, of course," was all I could think of to say after a minute. What was the point of having a funeral anyway? It's not like there was a body. No, the body was up walking, talking, breathing all the while its' family grieved and mourned unnecessarily for its' loss. The guilt started to wash over me. The guilt and a little bit of mourning of my own. But I pushed it back down. I would fall apart later, but right now I had to keep it together in front of everyone.

"We'll, if there's nothing else?" Carlisle asked, sensing the discomfort that had began to fall over the room. No one said anything, and they started to all slowly drift off the separate parts of the house. Edward was the last one to get up, besides me. I didn't want to move just quite yet, afraid it would trigger my impending breakdown.

"Edward?" I suddenly asked. There was something that was bothering me, something that he had said earlier when Alice had interrupted us in his room....

"Yes?" he asked over his shoulder, a strangled sort of hope in his voice. I felt the guilt begin to rise back up.

"What you said earlier, about how Victoria is looking for me, how do you know that?" I didn't know why, but the fact that he knew this bothered me. Of course, he could assume things. He did kill her mate. But he sounded so sure when he said it, as if he was stating a fact not just reason.

Edward looked as if he might not answer for a moment, but thought better of it. A look of determination crossed his face as he turned to answer me.

"When I left you, I wanted to eliminate every danger in your life. I tracked Victoria. Not very good mind you," he let out a humorless laugh. "I'd follow her to one continent and by the time I had gotten there she had already moved on to the next. But I did get close enough one time to hear what she was thinking. And there was only one thing on the forefront of her mind." He stopped, a look of pain crossing his face. "She pictured you, torturing you in the most horrible ways possible. I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't let her get within the same state as you ever again." He sighed. "Marble skin or not, Bella, she is not going to touch a hair on your head. And I'm not going to rest until I myself rip the life out of her and watch her go up in purple smoke."

My mouth hung open as I watched Edward turn away and leave the room. The passion that had been in his eyes, it was unmistakable. It took everything in me to keep myself rooted to the dining room chair I was sitting in and not run upstairs and fling myself back into Edward's arms. Although, I was coming to find that it was becoming more and more difficult to remember why I shouldn't...

**A/N: I know this chapter is short! But I just wanted to give you guys a little something after making you wait so long!**

**Yay, Bella is finally starting to crack! :)  
**

**I finally got my computer fixed! Yay! But unfortunately, my files could not be saved. So I have to start my outline over from scratch. :(**

**Just to give you guys a little preview of whats to come:**

**-Bella reflects's on her human life, and Edward.**

**-The Cullen's go to Bella's funeral.**

**-Jacob and Bella have to face off!**

**OHHHHHH lol I can't wait for you guys to see what I have in store for this story.**

**Please review so that I know that I am still writing good, I am a little rusty. So review please!**

**Love you all,**

**edwardnbella4eva09 3**


End file.
